ONE of Britain's most glamorous film stars will conduct a "cosy chat" among 200 people from Bolton and Bury.

Honor Blackman, who has remained one of the country's best known sex symbols over the decades, has chosen to appear on the "intimate" little stage at a local village theatre.

She will be appearing at the Summerseat Players' Theatre Royal in Ramsbottom, on Sunday and next Sunday, when she performs her one woman show, 'Dishonourable Ladies'.

Fatales

The woman who is herself remembered for appearing as the ultimate Bond girl, Pussy Galore, and the leather-clad Mrs Cathy Gale in The Avengers, will be discussing femme fatales through the centuries.

Ranging from Delilah to Dietrich, Cleopatra to Carmen and Medusa to Mae West, Honor will be taking a wry and witty look at the women and the power they had over men.

She explained: "These women were not just bimbos. Most of them were entertaining, very well educated women who the man would be proud to have on his arm.

"Whereas now people would say she was sleeping around, at that time they would have a huge dress allowance and would be a terrific companion.

"The man would not mind about her past. It would be a kind of accolade that she would have chosen him. In return the femme fatale would expect a great deal from her man. They would have to attain levels of perfection.

"I have done a one woman show before. I like to keep my feet on the boards. This is also better than doing a long running play where you are in the same theatre every night and stand in same place saying same thing. This way, I only usually do Sundays and it is much more exciting going to different theatres every week.

"I like to appear in smaller theatres, up to the 500 mark. That way it is more intimate. It is much nicer having people closer to you, rather than rattling around in a vast theatre.

"The femme fatales in the show are women who have to have a certain air of mystery. Like Marlene and Mae West. But unfortunately there is no mystery about anyone these days -- not even with Princess Diana. We know who everyone sleeps with, and even what they have for breakfast. Everyone has to know everything. Yet it is much more exciting to retain an air of mystery.

"I would not like to have been starting out these days. It was bad enough when I was younger. When I split from my husband, it was like vultures waiting outside my home -- but nothing like it is today. I think I am lucky to have escaped that. It does not help relationships at all.

"Highlights of my career for the public would be Goldfinger and The Avengers. They were very enjoyable but most of what I really enjoyed, the public would not remember.

"Certain films I did were in lovely locations but no one wants to know about that.

Glorious

"Favourite leading men must include Sean Connery and I loved Patrick MacNee who I had two glorious years with. I also loved Dean Martin to death. Everyone has a perception of him as an alcoholic, but I never saw him drunk. We were stuck filming in the middle of a Mexican desert together for weeks on end. He was very funny and if it got boring he would put his feet up, tip his hat over his eyes and sing. Not many people could touch his quality of voice today."

What about a one woman show featuring her own experiences?

"I have never been tempted to do that. As an actor I am trained to use other people's words and lines. Besides, I am quite a private person."