Life imitated art when a husband and wife teamed up to perform as a couple on stage.

But lets hope that’s where the similarities end, as the play is entitled The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband.

Rob Copeland, who was drafted in last minute after the original actor Steve Heritage injured his leg, played alongside wife Suzanne Copeland in the production by MADS theatre.

Suzanne, 47, said Steve damaged his leg during rehearsals.

She said: “Rather than risk doing more damage we thought it best to ask Rob to play the role instead, so we now have a husband and wife both on stage and off. Let’s hope life doesn’t imitate art in this case, Although in real life Rob is the chef and I am pretty useless in the kitchen!”

Review: The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband, by Claire Bowen

When the leading man finds himself unable to perform just four days before opening night, any production would be thrown into disarray – but imagine the pressure when the leading man is performing in a play with just two others. Chaos? Cancellation? No, just call on Rob Copeland.

The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband tells the tale of Hilary who has been married blissfully - or so she thinks - to Kenneth for 19 years.

Devastation ensues when she discovers Kenneth has been having an affair with the younger, prettier Laura for several months, and Kenneth is forced to make a choice between the woman who excels in the kitchen or she who excels in the bedroom. We can guess which way he turns.

We were advised that Rob Copeland would be using a script throughout the performance, however due to what must have been a herculean effort by Rob (and I’m sure supported by his wife Suzanne), he was off-book for all the soliloquies and otherwise seemed to merely glance at his script occasionally. An extremely impressive performance.

Claire Taylor was a convincing “other woman”, and Suzanne Copeland played the perfect jilted wife who wooed her husband back with her culinary skills; plotting her revenge whilst working in her kitchen.

So as not to detract from the emotional journey of the characters, the director chose a minimal set, no costume changes and mimed props – unfortunately I found the invisible pouring of wine, mimed eating and chopping to be a little clumsy and somewhat distracting, but this was a minor observation in an otherwise strong piece.

For all concerned this must have been a testing time, but the resulting production was a great success, thoroughly enjoyed by a most appreciative audience. All at MADS are to be congratulated.