BLIND Date. Big Brother. Popstars. Survivor. Soap Stars. Pop Idol. Where fame was once flippantly allocated in 15-minute blocks by Andy Warhol, now it is the teenage addiction of the day.

Gordon Steel, Teesside playwright, lecturer and Middlesbrough season ticket holder, was so struck by this virulent youth virus that he wrote A Pair Of Beauties, his latest comedy for Hull Truck Theatre in the wake of Dead Fish, Like A Virgin and last year's Sunday football kickabout, Studs.

"I do some part-time lecturing at Stockton and Billingham College, and more and more young people are signing up for the performing arts course," says Gordon. "Yes, it's well run but it's the fame thing. Pop Idol, Big Brother, Pop Stars, they've catapulted ordinary people into the alien world of fame, and it's become essential voyeuristic viewing for all the family.

"More and more of them don't want to act. They want to be on EastEnders straightaway and that's that. This attractive proposition, this fame thing, seems to seduce them, and while you sometimes get students with talent and ability, more and more are being seduced by someone who knows someone who knows the Spice Girls. They're making their own CDs, forming their own girl bands and yet I wouldn't want to go into that business. You know you'll see them working at the supermarket check-out in six months."

From his college observations, Gordon has shaped his pair of beauties, Redcar girls Martine and Natasha who, filled with the dreams of stardom, abandon school, family and friends to gamble on hitting the big time. Their pilot to fame is glamour photographer Connor, a man with as much front as Martine.

"When I was doing my research I had to find something that would seem seductive, and if you're modelling your photograph can be on the front page. Mind you, if you're held hostage in a supermarket, three weeks later you'd be opening one without having really done anything.

"Anyway, I met this brilliant photographer in Newcastle, in his early 30s, and I had long chats with him about the photography world. The result is Connor, who's as deluded as the girls in the play because he believes he's just one photo away from stardom.

"It's sad that they should be seduced by him because anyone with half a brain would see through him. He preys on people who are easily influenced, such as school leavers who want to be in a girl band. It's a very vulnerable age. The appeal is great but it's just slave labour."

In his role as director of A Pair Of Beauties, Gordon is giving a professional stage break to two young actresses: 18-year-old Danielle Williams, talent-spotted by Gordon on the GNVQ Advanced course in Performing Arts at Stockton and Billingham College, and Natalie Blades, whose work so far has been in television since graduating from the Acting School in Manchester last summer.

"There's almost an irony in doing a play about girls being seduced by fame and using an 18-year-old without formal training," says Gordon. "But I've told Danielle she must make sure she goes to university this September!"

A Pair Of Beauties, Hull Truck Theatre, until March 2, at 8pm nightly, then on tour. Box office: 01482 325012.

Updated: 09:09 Friday, February 15, 2002