ADRIAN Hood is over the moon at working once more with John Godber, the director who gave him his first break in theatre.

The Hull Truck playwright had spotted Adrian's talents in his drama-teaching days and the two have worked together regularly, until Adrian's career took him to television four years ago. However, the partnership is being renewed for Fly Me To The Moon, which opens this week at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough.

"I haven't worked for John for four years, apart from a small part in Our House, when I popped on for a couple of lines, then popped off. I've missed it, and I'm really enjoying being back," he says.

"John seemed excited when he mentioned the company he was putting together for the show, and I knew I could get on with them, and I liked the script."

Fly Me To The Moon follows the flight path of a group of terrified travellers striving to conquer their fear of flying. "I'm playing Dougie, who's a long-distance lorry driver and, like all the characters, he has a fear of fear of flying, on the surface, but underneath he has his own neurosis. Dougie is downtrodden because he's never had the opportunity to show his talent," says Adrian.

That 'talent' is to sing in the Sinatra style, and lo and behold the role brings Adrian the chance to sing, guess what, Fly Me To The Moon. "He's quite a deranged character, which comes from his fear of flying and his fear of life, and suddenly he explodes and starts singing a few lines," says Adrian, whose singing skills have not previously been the talk of Hull Truck.

Unlike Dougie, Adrian has no phobia of flight. "I don't mind flying. I prefer it to sailing or going on the sea, because I'm a non-swimmer and I'm not keen on rivers or the sea," he says.

"I'm told at my size I should be buoyant, but although I did try to swim I was terrified. We spent millions of years evolving from the sea and I have no wish to go back in there."

Fly Me To The Moon, Hull Truck Theatre Company, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, until March 27; Hull Truck Theatre, April 5 to May 1. Box office: Scarborough, 01723 370541; Hull, 01482 323638.

Updated: 15:56 Thursday, March 11, 2004