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David had been called in at short notice to perform in a one-nighter at the Northcott Theatre in Exeter, and our meeting was always going to be short as he had to drive straight back to London after the show to catch a plane to America.

On the morning of his performance his co-star was taken ill and had to withdraw. The show was in serious doubt, but fully aware of the sell-out audience, David managed to persuade his wife, actress Sheila Ferris, to step into the vacant role.

This now meant an extended rehearsal time, and although I was quite willing to postpone our chat, David was insistent that we grab at least 5 minutes. It became obvious that he was very keen to talk about his chosen subject the emergence into his life of a strong religious influence.

I began by asking him to explain just how and when this influence began.

"I converted to Christianity in 1986, and it is the most important thing in my life. It all started in a Hotel in America, where I suddenly felt the need to read the Bible again. I looked everywhere, but could not find one in my room, so I went straight out and bought a New Testament and started to read."

"As I read Pauls' letter to the Romans, all the words seemed to make such wonderful sense, and I realised then that this was a way of life that I had always been looking for."

It was now time for me to play a little of the Devils advocate" and I put my concerns to him about a weekly occurrence within the city centre, where a young boy would be reading tracts of the Bible for the benefit of bemused passers by. Did he not think that religion being forced upon people in this way was wrong?

"You are correct that the type of sight you have described does leave people feeling that religion is being put upon them and I can quite understand why they feel this. However, God sees it all, things will change, that is the hope of Christianity, that indeed is the future."

Another aspect of traditional Christian thinking which made me sceptical was the concept that to be a Christian you have to attend regular Sunday worship. I asked David for his thoughts on this.

"I don't believe that going to church regularly is necessarily the mark of a Christian. It is obviously a very nice and good thing to do because you it is here that you actually mix with your fellow Christians."

"Being a regular church-goer has become a sort of mark of respectability in the Christian faith, and I don't hold with that at all. With my work schedules it is difficult for me to keep up regular

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