WORCESTER has a homegrown playwright in the shape of Phil Porter, and he's even writing comedy for the RSC.

His latest play, Vice Versa, is based on the comedies of the Roman playwright Plautus, in keeping with the RSC's "Roman Season", and because Plautus - a master of absurdity - was an influence on Shakespeare himself.

The new play opens at The Swan in Stratford this May for a four month run, after months of writing and rehearsals which Mr Porter described as "great fun".

But with the job done, Mr Porter is turning his attention to penning another play, "having done a year writing about people with trousers falling down".

His new play, in fact, is about a young female "messiah" figure in modern-day Britain.

But what about Plautus? What drew him to the Roman farce-meister in the first place?

Mr Porter said: "It's a lot of light fun, and Plautus was a real crowd-pleaser. I first read a few of his plays when I was a drama student at Birmingham University in the 1990s, and I found they had some really good knock-about themes, and there's a great pace to them."

Mr Porter, aged 39, said he had used "the bare bones" of Plautus's work to produce a new work he described as "lovingly ripped off".

He added: "It's set in Ancient Rome, with a few cheeky anachronisms."

A wily servant and a pair of wronged young lovers team up to bamboozle a pompous general in what is being billed as "a riotous new farce".

Dodgy disguises, comic capers and a talking monkey create pandemonium as the tricksters try to save the girl, free the servant and live to tell the tale, as you do.

Mr Porter’s previous plays for the RSC include The Christmas Truce (2014) and A Mad World My Masters (2013).

But what about Mr Porter's Worcester credentials?

He moved the Faithful City at the age of one and lived in Worcester until he went to Birmingham University, in 1996. His dad, Dilwyn and his mum, Sandra, still lived in Worcester.

Mr Porter, who attended Red Hill Primary, Nunnery Wood High School and Worcester Sixth Form, said: "I still have my parents and pals in Worcester, and I like to come back often."

His dad was a history lecturer at Worcester University and his mum was a social worker in Worcester and was also a swimming coach for Worcester Swimming Club.

Mr Porter himself ran The Swan Youth Theatre in Worcester, for one year, after graduating.

Vice Versa is directed by the celebrated South African director, Janice Honeyman and it will be performed at The Swan Theatre in Stratford from May 11 to September 9.

Tickets at, 01789 403493 or online at www.rsc.org.uk