After performing in Hull, London, Henley, Windermere, Ulverston, Kendal, Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow (pause for breath), Bradford-born actor Michael Forrest is coming home – almost.

Next month he’s appearing in a new play by Pat Rowe called Jerusalem Tango.

This is not a Middle Eastern version of Last Tango In Paris, although a love story is at the heart of the central event – the bombing of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem in 1946 by the Zionist underground group the Irgun, in which 91 were killed and 46 injured.

Michael plays an archetypal British engineer. He observes the love affair between the British officer, Thomas, and the young Jewish woman, Ziva, who loves dancing the tango at the King David Hotel, but who is also in league with the Irgun.

He said: “I’m the regional Brit, managing the whole of the rail system for Palestine because he’s good at his job, not because he was born into the right family. I don’t like Thomas and try to drop him in it for fraternising with Ziva.

“I observe the plot. My role is to illustrate the pointlessness of what the British were supposed to be doing in a place where no-one wanted them to be.”

Rehearsals started on Tuesday, meaning Michael has to leave Kendal, which has been home to him for the past 28 years, and return to his parents in Cullingworth – at the age of 54.

“My dad, who is 76 and still working – he used to have a garage, Forrest Motors, in Bradford – said, ‘I hope you’re not going to have any parties’,” he added.

For most of his working life, Michael was a project manager, firstly in IT with Bradford & Bingley, and then in construction. He played football, was a regular season ticket holder at Bradford City and started a family. His daughter is singer and actress Amy Forrest.

At the age of 49 he decided to take up acting. He calls it his version of the male menopause.

“I tried to explain to some of my football friends that the buzz you get when you play well, when the team plays well, that happens maybe once every eight or ten matches, you get that buzz every time you come off stage.

“I am absolutely loving it and would recommend it to anyone frustrated in a particular job. There is another world out there. Of course it’s easier at another age when you’re not looking for this month’s rent.

“It’s hard finding work when you’re over 50, but not in acting. There seems to be more opportunities for people of my age.”

Jerusalem Tango, at The Carriageworks, Leeds, from May 1 to 26, is directed by Olivia Rowe and produced by Brian Daniels. For tickets, ring (0113) 224 3801.