Three years since its conception the musical Hooked is finally ready to take the stage, but producer Matthew James isn't sure he can watch.

The three-day run at Theatre503 this weekend will be the premier airing of the show which is loosely based on Matthew's own experiences, before it transfers to the Edinburgh Festival.

"I should be nervous but I'm so busy I don't have time to be," said the former Fleet Street journalist.

"On Friday though I don't know what state I will be in.

"I am not sure I will even be able to be in the room, I might be in the pub two doors down."

The musical is a collaboration between Matthew, the songwriting of Nick Hale, who did the music for the award-winning Bacardi Breezer adverts featuring the dancing cats, and Max Kinnings, the ghost writer for Rik Mayall's spoof autobiography in 2005.

The plot follows young PR ace Ben as he goes off the rails under the dual pressures of work and the prospect of a young family.

"He gets addicted to cocaine and that plays a major part in his downfall," says Matthew.

"His business goes caputt and his wife kicks him out and it is about him trying to put his life right on a simple level.

"It's a love triangle really as he falls in love with another women, a European lap-dancer called Monique.

"It raises the question whether a man can be in love with two women at the same time, though he never gets to make the choice between the two because something happens before he can.

"It started as a bunch of songs Nick and I had written for Polydor records for commercial acts like Girls Aloud and Boyzone.

"We didn't find a home for them though so because the subject matters came out of things going on in my life we thought we might be able to make a musical out of them."

Hooked, Theatre503, The Latchmere, Battersea Park Road, July 31 to August 2, 7.30pm, £10. Call 020 7978 7040 or visit theatre503.com.