HE'S a famous stage actor, a Star Ship captain and has recently revealed himself as the planet's most powerful telepath. Is there no end to Patrick Stewart's powers?

Well, it seems not, and to use up all those Star Trek clichs at the start: Now he's beaming down to the Malvern stage at the same time as he boldly goes on the silver screen. And he tells us: cling on, you're in for a treat!

Patrick Stewart (pictured) is starring with Sue Johnston in a new interpretation of Henrik Ibsen's classic story The Master Builder and local audiences are getting the chance to see special premiere performances before it transfers to the London stage.

At the same time, they can go to the cinema and see Stewart put in another commanding performance as the wheelchair-bound Professor Xavier, controlling objects and bamboozling baddies with just the power of his mind in X-Men 2.

So how did the good captain come to steer his way from Hollywood to Malvern?

"It's a funny story, because I feel I didn't take on the role, the role took on me," he said.

A year ago, he was working on a film in Hollywood and screenwriter John Logan, (who wrote Gladiator), asked if he had ever thought of doing a screen version of The Master Builder as Logan was thinking of writing a screenplay. "I told him I hadn't thought about it for 40 years!" said Stewart. "A few days later, completely unconnected, I had a call from Duncan Wheldon (the play producer) who asked if I had ever thought of doing The Master Builder on stage.

He put the two men in touch and they decided to try it on stage and consider a film version if it was a success.

It all began for Stewart (born in 1940 in Mirfield, Yorkshire) with a disastrous year as a cub reporter. His amateur dramatic rehearsal schedules clashed with reporting duties and: "It was hopeless," Stewart admitted. "I was getting people to cover for me - making things up! - It really wasn't working."

He ended up infuriating his editor so much, he gave him an ultimatum: journalism or acting.

"So far, it's worked out quite well," said Stewart. "I've had a phenomenal 44 years of work and just about enjoyed every single minute of it - and as much, if not more so, now than ever."

Stewart's Yorkshire accent was honed into his now famous voice during training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and he's never stopped working since he left.

He had a distinguished stage career long before he came to international television fame. This has included much work with the RSC, playing all the big roles, and he is now an Honorary Associate, having been an Associate Artist since 1967. He has played in the West End and on Broadway and everywhere in between and must have a groaning mantlepiece to carry almost every award an actor can win.

It was in 1988 that he took the helm as captain of the Starship Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired from 1988 to 1994. He directed a few episodes too (one of which won an Emmy) and he has appeared in four of the ten Star Trek films. With the last one, however, he said he has now finished with the role.

He's still glad he took it on, though. "There are worse things that could happen to you," he said. "It had such a profound impact on every aspect of my life and there were days when I wished it wasn't so all-consuming, but I am proud of the work that we did and along the way I met some wonderful colleagues and people who will be friends for the rest of my life."

Now he has provided the face for another major sci-fi figure, Professor Xavier, leader, tutor and protector of the X-Men mutants, disliked and feared for their special powers.

He has been in more than a dozen films and more TV dramas and plays than you can shake a programme at but he says he has really made it now he can boast appearances on both Sesame Street and the Simpsons. "That made my children proud," he said.

Oh yes, and to add to that collection of accolades, he was given the OBE in 2001.

He spends his time with his wife and two children split between homes in England and California working between the two bases.

But his first love, professionally, is the stage and although he is well acquainted with Stratford and the area, this will be the first time he has been to Malvern.

In The Master Builder, he plays Solness, who is locked in a loveless, sterile, guilt-ridden marriage until the young Hilde comes to town and his lust for life is reawakened. We are due to see 'emotions that tear an elderly man's life apart as he tries to face the ruthless expectations of youth'.

Solness's wife is played by Sue Johnston, of The Royle Family and Brookside fame. "She's wonderful. It's the first time I've worked with her but I hope I do again," said Stewart.

He said: "This play is over 100 years old but it performs like a very modern play. It's contemporary, very audacious, very sexy, very vital and quite scandalous.

The Master Builder is running at Malvern Theatres from May 15-24. For tickets and details, call the box office on 01684 892277.