GREAT stories can literally come from anywhere, even in the middle of the ocean.

That’s where Colchester-born playwright Peter Quilter was when he came up with the idea for End of the Rainbow.

“A friend was working on a cruise ship,” he tells me, “and he asked me along on one of his trips. One night I just happened to find myself back stage and there I saw the cruise ship’s guest singer who was having an argument with his wife.

“I had seen him wander around the ship all during the day completely drunk. I mean he was a proper alcoholic so at first I was really fascinated by this character who was a mess off the stage but an absolute professional on it.

“Then I witnessed the argument in which he was essentially saying he didn’t want to perform anymore and his wife screaming at him to get on that stage, all while the overture was being played.”

With the seeds of a new play in his head when Peter got back home he started writing it, except soon changing the male singer to a female one.

Putting it on at the New End Theatre in Hampstead, a small 80-seater venue, which has now closed.

“It did rather well,” Peter adds, “except after people came to see it they would often say how much it was like the Judy Garland story.

“Now this was all new to me because I knew nothing about Judy Garland’s later life and so I kind of just ignored it for a while. After I had heard the comment for about the 7,000th time I thought I ought to do something about it.”

Writing a new draft making the lead character Judy Garland, Peter soon had an offer of a premiere in of all places, Sydney Australia.

“My whole career has been a series of miracles,” he jokes, “and so it was with this show. It was supposed to be on at a little 200-seater theatre but then Caroline O’Connor, one of the country’s biggest theatre stars, wanted to do it and so the little theatre was, well too little.

“Then, rather fortunately, the Sydney Opera House had a six week gap in its programme so it went on there. I really do think that if it had stayed at that little theatre that would have been it for the show but after its run at the opera house it’s just been on this incredible rollercoaster ride.”

Now End of the Rainbow is about to embark on a UK tour, which coincidently for Peter, opens in his home town at the Mercury Theatre.

“We were looking for a theatre to co-produce it with us,” he explains, “and it just so happened the Mercury put themselves forward.

“It was only when the producers e-mailed me to tell me what the theatre was that I found out it was Colchester.”

Born and brought up in the town, Peter’s first forays in theatre were with the Lexden Players and the Castle Drama Group.

After studying at Old Heath Primary and Wilson Marriage schools, he did his A-levels at Colchester Institute before going on to study at Leeds University.

He says: “I did four or five productions with the Lexden Players where I learned all the basics of theatre and then, after university and some television presenting for the BBC, I became involved with the Royal Court Theatre.”

This was the start of his path towards the big time and a future with London’s audiences.

“The Royal Court takes on a dozen young writers a year,” he adds, “and they thought I had potential.

“It is a difficult profession, much harder than trying to make it as an actor or popstar but I have had a series of breaks and it has been unbelieveable.”

His county of birth has continued to influence his writing right from his very first play which was based on the seaside pier at Walton, where he used to go as a child.

As well as End of the Rainbow, Peter’s other successes include his West End comedy Glorious!, which starred Maureen Lipman in an acclaimed performance.

His latest play, 4,000 Days, looks set to be a smash hit as well, starring actor and impressionist Alistair McGowan at the Park Theatre in London.

“It’s about a guy who has forgotten the last 11 years of his life,” Peter reveals, “and what that might mean for the other people in his life.

“I literally dreamt it one night. In the dream I was in a hospital bed and when I woke up I didn’t know what had happened in the last ten years.

“Some plays you can wait for years to be picked up but with 4,000 Days it took just 24 hours and in 48 hours we had Alistair McGowan.”

• End of the Rainbow Mercury Theatre, Balkerne Gate, Colchester.

February 12 to 20. 7.30pm and 2.30pm (Thursdays and Saturdays) £25 to £10 plus concessions. 01206 573948.

www.mercurytheatre.co.uk