When Lady Hester (no, not THAT Hester) Collyer and Freddie meet up at Daylesford Theatre later this month it will be the first time the duo playing these lead roles have actually spoken directly to each other on stage.

Like many others in the cast of the Bermuda Musical & Dramatic Society's forthcoming production, The Deep Blue Sea, Jo Shane and Phillip Jones have worked in the same productions before, but not as -- they search for the word -- "Lovers? Not-quite-partners? Symbiotic soulmates? None of the above.'' Whatever the politically correct terminology, it is a small point when weighed against the challenges now facing them.

Given that the play, written by former Bermuda resident the late Sir Terence Rattigan, was recently named one of the great plays of the twentieth century, and included in its original production the distinguished British actress Dame Peggy Ashcroft as Lady Collyer, and Sir Kenneth More, Mrs. Shane and Dr. Jones have quite a history to follow.

But this does not worry them, because both are very experienced amateur actors who are no strangers to the stage, either here or abroad. In fact, Mrs. Shane is a trained drama teacher, and both have had directing experience as well.

Nonetheless, they admit that their present casting is both challenging and emotionally demanding.

"When we were doing Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard last year that was pretty exhausting, but I think this is going to be worse,'' Mrs. Shane surmises.

The play is a story of relationships gone wrong, and in the wake of the inevitable break-ups, a mess of human emotions, passion and confusion follows.

As the heroine, Lady Collyer is described as "a woman with a self-destructive sexual passion'', who leaves her distinguished husband, judge Sir William Collyer, and the lavish lifestyle they led, to shack up with Freddie, an ex-Royal Air Force war hero and struggling test pilot, in his grubby bedsitter.

Unemployed and with a drinking problem, Freddie is unable to return his new flat mate's overheated demands for passionate love. Thus she finds herself between the devil and the deep blue sea, and attempts suicide.

As only Rattigan can, there follows an inspired portrayal of the myriad complexities of life and human dilemma as he sets the play in the day following Lady Collyer's unsuccessful act of desperation.

"You are on the edge most of the time, and that's what you have to find when playing this role,'' Mrs. Shane explains. "Hester is in tears most of the time, swinging wildly between decisions in her life, so that is quite demanding.'' As her "partner'' Dr. Jones -- who is well versed in real-life dramas as an Emergency Room doctor at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital -- says he is revelling the opportunity to play a dramatic role on stage.

"Comedy comes easily for me, but this is much more challenging, and the reward is in the work,'' he declares. "It's lovely, because weighty dramas are not often done in amateur theatre.'' The naturally upbeat Dr. Jones is equally enthusiastic about the rehearsal process because that is where the real creative juices flow.

"Performances are `paint by numbers','' he maintains. "It is in rehearsal that you find the colours and the shapes. Performance is a painting you already know; the trick is to make each one seem like the first you have done, even though it may be the fifth.'' Given the demands of his profession, and the fact that he is simultaneously rehearsing the Rattigan play as well as his first musical role in the forthcoming Gilbert & Sullivan production of Company, one wonders how he manages it all.

"Things are hectic,'' he admits, "but director Jane McCulloch and the cast have been wonderfully accommodating, as have the Gilbert & Sullivan Society in helping me to work around things. The irony is that suddenly two roles came up that I really, really wanted to do, and everyone has been very gracious.'' Both actors are fulsome in their praise of Miss McCullouch -- who is eminent in British theatre, as well as being a prolific writer and playwright -- and the gentle way in which she approaches her role as director.

"Jane likes working with people and bringing them up to a professional level, and she is brilliant at getting wonderful performances out of them,'' Dr.

Jones says.

Concurring, Mrs. Shane adds: "She raises the standard.'' In terms of casting, Miss McCulloch is again admired for what the duo describe as "unusual choices which make for interesting theatre''.

"She is brilliant at casting a show, and has a great eye for what she wants,'' Dr. Jones explains. "Very often, it is not an obvious choice. She really gets a sense of what you can do; to where she can take you, and how everyone will work together. She not only sees what people can do, but what they need.'' No stranger to the stage -- Dr. Jones started in school plays, went on to the Banff School of Fine Arts for drama in his native Canada before "somehow ending up in medical school'' -- he sums up his theatrical relationship with the director thus: "You feel so safe with Jane that you can try anything. You know that she will protect and keep you safe, which gives you the creative freedom to go on.'' Continued on page 29 The Deep Blue Sea Continued from page 28 Almost the first thing the doctor did after arriving here in 1993 was to turn up at Daylesford Theatre, home of the BMDS, and ask: "When are the auditions?'' Since then, he has also appeared in Jabulani and Triangle Theatre productions.

British-born Mrs. Shane has also maintained a lifelong interest in theatre, first appearing on stage as Herod in her school play. Since arriving here seven years ago, she has been associated with the BMDS and Triangle Theatre. A mother of two, her eldest daughter, Jessie, is also interested in drama.

The Deep Blue Sea will be performed at Daylesford Theatre from August 28 to September 3. Tickets ($15) will be sold at the theatre box office as follows: August 16-18 and 21-25: 5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m., August 19, noon to 2 p.m., as well as one hour before each performance. For further information go to website www.bmds.bm/de epbluesea.