ON STAGE they're both fighting over the same woman, but off stage Paul McGowan and Roger Nuttall have been friends for years.

"We've appeared in quite a few shows together in Bacup and Burnley," explained Roger, 20.

Now the pair form two points of the love triangle which is central to Oswaldtwistle Players' next production - the Lancashire comedy A Night On The Tiles.

The cast of the new play was confirmed this week, with Roger down to play dutiful son Gareth, who is about to marry his pregnant fiancee Shirley (played by Samantha Payne).

However, disaster strikes when the news emerges that the father of Shirley's baby may not be Gareth at all, but his lazy, feckless and unreliable older brother Kenneth - played by Paul McGowan.

But while, in the play, Kenneth's unlooked-for intervention in Gareth's relationship proves far from welcome, offstage Roger was more than happy to find he would be working alongside his old friend Paul.

"We get on really well," he said.

"Paul's a very good actor and I was really pleased when I found out he would be playing my brother.

"If you already have that friendship there, it makes it much easier in rehearsals."

So, Paul and Roger's friendship may be pretty watertight, but there is an additional layer of tension in the play - the flirtatious nature of the relationship between Kenneth and Shirley, who still find each other quite irresistible.

"I haven't had that many love scenes," admitted Paul, 39. The first time I had to kiss someone on stage was hard work - mainly because her husband was standing behind me in the band at the time.

"I still get incredibly nervous about it - particularly in A Night On The Tiles, where I have to grab Samantha's bum - but I can't just skip over that. It's part of who my character is."

In fact, Paul and Samantha have already played husband and wife in a Players' production of A Christmas Carol.

"Samantha's a really good actress, so I enjoy working with her," said Paul.

"But her husband might be getting a bit suspicious about all this! I hope he's not a big bloke."

Fortunately, Samantha, 32, said her husband has proved very understanding.

"I explained to him what the part involved, because I didn't want to spring it on him, and he was fine," she said.

The rest of the cast is: Doris, Wendy Duggan; Reg, Roger Dugdale;Grandad, Bill Walker; Mrs Morris,Catherine Allan.

Next week: The first rehearsals get under way.