FOR the past few months Sheila Reid has been making audiences around the country laugh with her performance of Gloria in the new comedy Silver Lining which heads to Manchester next week.

But, she’s also happy to say she’s been able to make the same audiences think too.

Set in a retirement home, the five elderly residents become trapped by rising floodwaters on the night of a terrible storm. Seemingly abandoned, the women realise that in order to survive they are going to have to do what they have done for their entire lives – do it themselves.

“It’s a wonderful play to be part of,” said Sheila. “I play Gloria and she’s truly glorious. The show’s full of laughs which is marvellous but it also has an underlying serious message in a way.”

Written by comedian and broadcaster Sandi Toksvig, Silver Lining tackles the issue of the attitude to the elderly in society head on.

“It is a very prescient play in a way,” said Sheila, perhaps best know to TV audiences through playing Madge in the comedy series Benidorm.

“Sandi Toksvig understands people so well and all the characters have a very definite voice.

“It does reflect where we are and the fact that we are abandoned. That’s what can happen in real life too as you get older. You are very much sidetracked and swept off the pavement really to make room for the new and the young.

“Nobody bothers to ask if you ever went further than the high street and you may have the most wonderful stories to tell. Here in the play we have opportunities to tell our stories and what happened to us before we came to this stage.”

As well as being extremely funny, Silver Lining is also very poignant.

“At one point I ask the question, ‘how the hell did we get here?’ left sitting in this awful depressing home after this wonderful life.

“Your job as an actor is to really live and be the character but afterwards you do need to shake it off. It’s a bit like a Spaniel that’s been in the water.”

One reason Sheila, who has vast experience of stage work including appearing with the RSC and at the National Theatre, was attracted to the play is that it offers opportunities for older actors.

“We are the subjects at the centre of the play,” she said, “rather than being on periphery or just supporting cast where we may have the odd little scene here or there. All the characters are very equal and have a story to tell.”

The subject matter has clearly struck a chord with audiences around the UK.

“I wondered if it would be more for women and grey haired people,” said Sheila. “But the audiences we have had been wonderfully varied. We have done a number of question and answer sessions and the people who stayed behind have been all ages and lots of men so it’s not just a feminine issue.

“The whole question of growing old is part of the human experience, it ultimately affects all of us.”

Silver Lining ends its UK tour at the Lowry and after that Sheila’s heading off to South America.

“I’m going to Brazil to visit my foster child so I’m very excited about that,” she said.

Silver Lining, the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, April 4 to Saturday, April 8. Details from 0843 208 6000