Since then, under the equity name Philip York, he has been Macbeth a further three times and in Brighton soon he is playing the disgraced newspaper baron Robert Maxwell, who disappeared from his yacht in 2001.

Philip went to drama school with Maxwell's eldest daughter Ann in the early 1970s and met him several times.

"He was still a good guy then and years later, after his death, I thought if I ever do a one-man show he would be a good, controversial figure," said Philip.

After gathering together a wealth of information from the likes of the BBC archives, he enlisted the help of playwright Rod Beecham to put a script together.

Lies Have Been Told: An Evening with Robert Maxwell was first performed at Edinburgh Festival in 2003, to rave reviews from the national critics.

Since then it has played all over the UK and at the West End twice at The Trafalgar Studios.

Now Philip is pleased to be bringing it closer to his Worthing home, where his mum Wendy Dyer still lives, as part of the Brighton Festival on May 26.

The play is set in a fictional moment in Maxwell's life and finds him sitting in his office bemoaning the fact people don't understand him.
"He says lies have been told about him," said Philip, "and puts forward his version of events in his own words."

Sections from his life are re-enacted, like how he escaped from war-torn Czechoslovakia and came to England, people he has met and conversations he has had.

"He was a villain in the end but he had enormous charm and charisma. He was very funny and did some amazing things. He made science publishing in this country enormously popular. There were definitely two sides to him.

"People react to the show quite strongly. Newspaper people go along who knew him and shout out at me. I do take up with the audience. People say they get a lot out of the show."

Philip said his interest in drama started at Worthing High, encouraged by English master Max Fuller. It was a similar story for his brother Godfrey, who, under the name of James Warwick, starred in the Agatha Christie's Partners in Crime on TV in the 1980s and is now prinicipal of the American Academy of Dramatic Art in Los Angeles.

Philip went to Birmingham Rep as a stage hand and then to Central School of Speech and Drama. He has a comprehensive CV of work ranging from the title role in Nicholas Nickleby, Twelfth Night with the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Birthday Party, and on TV, Robin of Sherwood, A Touch of Frost and The Professionals.

Highlights included working at the Royal National Theatre and the TV series Lillie, about Lillie Langtree.

Philip has also worked on three productions with Alan Ayckbourne recently and has been working with playwright and actor Ray Cooney, who is putting on a new musical, and has just returned from putting on plays on the cruise ship Oriana.

After Brighton, he is heading for the Edinburgh Festival and will then be working on some BBC radio plays.

"I just want to keep on doing good work," he said. "I'm always interested in new writing, although it is so difficult for new, young writers to come through with work now."

Lies Have Been Told is at the Udderbelly at Brighton Steine on May 26 at 9pm. Tickets are £14 from 01273 709709 or www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk

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