EVERY couple that fights to keep a marriage together has to find the method that works for them.

In Love and Marriage, showing at Malvern Theatres until tomorrow (Satur-day), the method used by three couples whose stories are told vary wildly.

For one, the trick is to enjoy the thrill of secrets and lies. The husband, played by Leslie Grantham, satisfies his voracious libido by indulging in a series of clandestine liaisons, while his much maligned but never seen wife carries on with the satellite TV repair man.

Stars of the show Tony and Ruth, played by Stephen Boxer and Liz Izen, succeed in keeping their passion alive with an honesty pact. They acknowledge the hardships of overcoming confessions of infidelities but with self-belief and tolerance their pact works because it keeps the relationship interesting.

In the third scenario, Tony and Ruth's oldest friends announce their split after the husband moved on to younger pastures after 19 years of marriage. However when the wife attempts suicide, the three agree to live together.

Superb acting and pace mean that this play, written by Donald Churchill and staged by Theatre Royal Bath, is wonderfully engaging. Its light heartedness makes it an easy watch, making its surreal and thought provoking end all the more remarkable. It serves to remind the viewer that following convention is not always the best route to happiness.

Ally Hardy