PLYMOUTH's Drum Theatre hosts Hull Truck Theatre's touring production of Dennis Kelly's compelling thriller DNA next week.

The play premiered at the National Theatre in 2008 and follows the story of a group of teenagers who try to cover their tracks after making the biggest mistake of their lives.

Taking a lead role is James Alexandrou, instantly recognisable as Martin Fowler in EastEnders.

"The story is about a group of young people who are trying to deal with something terrible that they've done," explains James in a break from rehearsals.

"My character has not been involved in the death of one of their group, but he is involved when he helps to cover it up.

"As we're discovering, it's about a lot more than that.

"It poses big questions and it's nice to have the rehearsal time to dig around.

"The director, Anthony Banks, is so great at making an atmosphere in which to be creative. It's usually me talking for 20 minutes, him saying 'Yes James' and then moving on," he laughs.

"DNA is absolutely brilliant. It's been at the National Theatre, but this is the first time of touring it so we're taking it to parts of the country which didn't get a chance to see it. Plus it's on the GCSE curriculum.

"It's a lovely accessible play for people who are not natural theatregoers to see. It's very funny, but it's also dark and intense and deep. It's a really accessible play, not just a big fluffy piece.

"The other thing is that it's not patronising to young people," says James.

"There are things I recognised in my life from this play. It doesn't matter where you were brought up, you feel disenfranchised because there's always a generation gap. It's encoded in your DNA. I got up to stuff when I was a kid – broke windows, got into abandoned houses. You don't see the consequences at that age."

James, who was born in North London, practically grew up on EastEnders, spending 11 years playing Martin Fowler. He left the show in 2007.

"In DNA, this is the first time I've been one of the oldest in the cast. I'm 26 and I feel old," he laughs. "The others are straight out of drama school and I'm the one putting on eye cream! They're all really young and enthusiastic and lovely.

"I was younger than these guys when I left EastEnders. Growing up and your knowledge of the world changing, coupled with being on the telly, can certainly mess with your brain.

"I've served my apprenticeship, but I haven't experienced the kind of work that people from drama school would have, doing hundreds of plays or working with different actors."

I suggest that James's role in EastEnders might attract an audience to try a play that is unknown.

"It would be lovely to think so," he says. "I hope it's true, although I'm not sure anyone would see a play just because I'm in it.

"I'm glad, though, that EastEnders can still help me get jobs, especially stuff I want to do."

The play is set to ask its audience many questions including: How far would you go to hide the truth? Would you destroy someone's life to save your own, and protect your friends? And finally when does a lie matter more than the truth?

There are echoes of the Stephen Lawrence murder, recently in the news again, and gang violence.

"It is relevant now," says James, "especially with the riots last year. I don't think it's just kids 'going off on one'. I think the problem is universal. We're all basically animals relying on instincts."