ONE of the cast of a play soon to be put on in Newport has been taking her role rather literally.

Jo Wiltshire, of Rogerstone, landed the leading role in the Ayckbourn one act comedy Mother Figure - and the 34-year-old will be eight months pregnant when she takes to the stage for the first night on Thursday.

"Jo has been brilliant, a real mother figure," said director Clare Drewett. "We've all been holding our breaths in rehearsals just in case we were called upon to act as midwives - but so far so good!"

Being pregnant has helped make Jo perfect for her role as a fed-up mother of three, who is so used to talking to children that she ends up treating everyone as if they were toddlers. When the neighbours, played by Catherine Cook and Grahame Radford call to check up on her, the results are hilarious.

Mother Figure is the first of two Ayckbourn one act comedies being put on at The Studio in the Dolman Theatre on Thursday October 11 and Friday October 12 as part of An Evening with Ayckbourn.

The second play, Between Mouthfuls, gives a waiter's eye view of a drama being played out between two warring couples in a restaurant.

Tickets for the evenings, which begin at 7.30pm, are available on the door, at £2.

*PICTURED: Jo Wiltshire as Lucy, right, Graham Radford as Terry and Catherine Cook as Rosemary.