Theatre-goer Beth Callaway set a new record when she became the longest longdistance traveller to attend a Bristol Old Vic production.

Over a weekend she made the round trip from Pine Mountain, Georgia, to see the company's production of Henry IV, Part One - and hopes to be back in November to see the second part as well.

The dramatic motivation for all this was Beth's adoration of the production's star, a certain Mr Jeremy Bamber.

But I'm now told that this astonishing theatre travel record is already under threat.

Apparently, Beth has confided in Phil Gibby, the Old Vic's development manager, saying: "I was talking to someone in Seattle today about the production . . . and I understand that they'll be booking this week."

Gibby, shellshocked by this global adulation for their production's star, tells me these audience jauntings don't stop there.

"When booking opened for the show, we had a call from someone in Belgium within the first couple of days and we were quite impressed by that.

"But we've now had six bookings from the United States alone on the strength of the Jamie Bamber phenomenon. I suppose we'll be getting calls from Guatemala any day now."