JOHN Godber's first thriller got murdered by the critics on its autumn debut.

Such is the gamble when caught between a rock and hard place. The Hull Truck playwright answered demands to do something new by doing exactly that with Screaming Blue Murder, but then faced opprobrium from the very same people calling for change.

Screaming Blue Murder has survived the critics' slings and arrows and is now on tour, visiting the Grand Opera House in York from Monday to Thursday next week with its story of strange nocturnal deeds on a Murder Mystery weekend at the haunted Bagley Hall hotel.

"I tell you, it's been fascinating doing this production because we're quite confident with this piece of work, and we don't think it creeks like a lot of thrillers do - and we've seen a lot for research," says John.

"The downside is that if it were a movie, the conceit of it all being an apparition wouldn't be a problem. With The Sixth Sense, The Others, people accept that as a film genre, but with Screaming Blue Murder some people haven't got it; some haven't got it and weren't bothered; others have said 'Oh, I got it straightaway'."

Beneath the theatrical conceit, there is a dark theme to Screaming Blue Murder in the story of dirty weekenders Nick and Gill.

"It's a play about jealousy and guilt, and it carries the thriller element quite lightly," says John. "It's an amusing piece but it also tells us about the dangers of infidelity."

He argues that the story matters more than whether the play is truly scary or not. "I've seen The Woman In Black twice and there are only two scary moments, one where a bang goes off and one where a light shines in the woman's face, and the rest of it is just a good story," he says.

"I think Screaming Blue Murder is a good story too, and as the guilt of Nick and Gill's infidelity begins to take over their lives, it's Fatal Attraction all over again."

Godber's innate comic gifts may have created an unintentional problem. "The play takes place on a Murder Mystery weekend and so it plays with the murder mystery format, but the downside for me is that even my serious plays are funny and that can sometimes get in the way of tension," he says.

"The audience is thinking 'Should we take this seriously?', but if you look at the bleakest Shakespeare, there is humour."

John acknowledges that he "obviously feels more comfortable writing comedies" but he does not rule out writing another thriller.

"Yeah, I would be tempted because working another muscle group is essential. Firstly because you're doing it for yourself and you have to raise the bar, and secondly because it's a fascinating conundrum to be at this stage of my career, at 48.

"People expect you to do funny stuff and if you do something else, they say they prefer the funny stuff, so you're in a no-win situation, but you have to go where you think is interesting."

Hull Truck Theatre presents Screaming Blue Murder at Grand Opera House, York, from February 16 to 19, 7.30pm. Tickets: £10 to £15 on 0870 606 3595.

Updated: 09:31 Friday, February 13, 2004