KATHERINE has lost her joy, and thinks she can find it again by fire-walking, belly dancing or even building a sweat lodge in the back garden.

Greg hopes that if he keeps his taxi clean and his mouth shut, Katherine might just start smiling again - or at the very least, let him out of the spare room.

Katherine and Greg are the central characters of A Different Drum, a play written by David Cosgrove and directed by Libby McArthur.

They are clearly on a relationship collision course, or, as Libby McArthur puts it, they are “destined to go to the dogs”….

“This is about love and how people, in the name of love, go to great lengths to make each other miserable,” smiles Libby wryly.

“I know everything and nothing about romantic love – nothing, which is why I have been single most of my adult life, and everything – I can spot dysfunction a mile off.

“So they are both miserable, and then along comes Hattie, with her rock chick swagger, and no discernible moral compass and this couple get their lives well and truly rummled up…..”

A Different Drum has been a project in the making for more than 30 years, Libby reckons.

“David and I used to work on radio comedy stuff together in the 80s and ever since, we have often said we should work together again,” explains former River City star Libby.

“Last year, we finally got round to it and set up Otago, with a view to doing a rehearsed reading and finding a producer – we didn’t want to run our own theatre company because that can bring you to your knees, quite honestly.”

She adds: “I tried it once before, with Penny Mob, and it just broke my heart.

“So, we did the reading and it went well and people loved it and said it was hilarious, but we never got a producer so that was really that. We decided to put it to bed.”

Libby grins: “And then along came Pete Sneddon, director of Glasgow International Comedy Festival, who said he wanted more funny theatre in the line-up and would we do it as part of the programme?

“So we decided to give it a life.”

A Different Drum is at Webster’s Theatre on assorted dates throughout the festival, kicking off tomorrow night (Thursday, March 9) and Libby is having a ball.

“It’s a total joy,” she sighs. “I play Katherine and John Love and Emilie Patry play Greg and Hattie, and they are just fantastic.

“David’s writing is incredible – every word is plucked and polished, nothing is in there by accident. It’s a beautiful piece of work. The question is – who is Hattie? Is she demonic, is she angelic? She turns their worlds upside down.”

Libby’s next project is directing David Cosgrove’s forthcoming play, Voices in the Ear, as part of the Play, A Pie and a Pint series at Oran Mor.

“It will be great to direct a play without being in it,” she laughs. “I’ve also been working with Toonspeak Theatre Company, which has been fantastic to get involved with young people finding their voices through drama.

“I love it – I enjoy being part of that and I think I still have something to say.”

For now, however, Libby is concentrating on A Different Drum and she is delighted GICF is including more theatre.

“My dream would be to take over a theatre and do two funny plays a night, with a decent interval,” she muses.

“People love going to the theatre and people love comedy, they love to laugh.”

She smiles: “I always think – yes, go to your counsellor, go to your therapist and then go and see some funny theatre and you’ll be fine. Laughter is where the healing is.”

A Different Drum is at Webster’s Theatre, 8pm, on March 9 – 11, 17 – 18 and 24 – 25. Visit www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com or call 0844 873 7353 for tickets and more information.