From left: Martin Daraz, ADAT's Marie Hayes and playwright Katie Douglas

NHS Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire Council have commissioned a new play to be performed in workplaces.

Entitled Tunnel, it forms part of Lanarkshire's Alcohol and Drug Action Autumn Alcohol Initiative (ADAT).

ADAT's Paul Wraight said he was confident the play would make people aware of the dangers of binge-drinking and the human cost involved.

"This play challenges all of us to look at the reality of this history in a meaningful and human way - in the context of the life journey of a young couple," he said.

"The play doesn't preach - but it does have a great deal to say."

We wanted to create a play which got the point across about alcohol abuse and its human costs Martin Daraz Director

The play, which features two actors, was launched at Wishaw General Hospital on Thursday and will tour workplaces in Lanarkshire until December.

NHS Lanarkshire, quoting UK General Household Survey statistics, said that every week 61,500 Lanarkshire people drink more than twice the daily guideline levels.

"From a public health perspective, the consequences for the health of a significant proportion of the men and women in Lanarkshire ought to concern all of us," an NHS Lanarkshire spokesperson said.

"ADAT is effectively piloting the use of performing arts as a stimulating new medium for engaging the people of Lanarkshire with the public health debate, as it relates to alcohol consumption.

'Stimulating debate'

"Performing arts has a strong history in Scotland of penetrating the public consciousness and stimulating debate around the political and social issues of the day.

"The ability of the audience to identify with the characters in the play will encourage them to question the place that alcohol has in their own lives and the consequences for the health of their body, mind and relationships."

Director Martin Daraz, 27, from New York, said he was keen to make a play which communicated effectively with people.

ADAT is urging people to guard against alcohol abuse

"The play touches on alcohol, money and relationships.

"We wanted to create a play which got its point across about alcohol abuse and its human costs."

Katie Douglas, who wrote the play, said she found it quite easy to flesh out the characters because of the binge-drinking culture which exists in many parts of Scotland.

The 23-year-old from Kilwinning added: "None of my friends are in it though!"

Peter Ballantyne, 23, from Aberdeen, and Amanda Gilliland, 31, from Glasgow, play the two characters.

The play begins with teenagers drinking in a tunnel and writing graffiti.

They discuss their hopes for the future and a friend's pregnancy.

'Facts and figures'

Then the focus turns to their marriage and a heated argument in a pub over money and who should be looking after their son.

The characters then get divorced and the final scene focuses on a funeral where the estranged couple discuss their separate, miserable lives in their 40s.

Peter Ballantyne said he believed the play was a refreshing change from the usual studies and reports released on alcohol abuse.

"This doesn't rely on facts and figures to get its message across. Its strength lies in the characters and the human face of excessive alcohol," he said.

Amanda Gilliland said the play should make people stop and think about their alcohol intake and whether they should cut down.

"It's good to try a different approach to get an important message across," she added.