Jeffrey Archer made his stage debut, only hours after being charged by police with perjury and perverting the course of justice

Lord Archer played the leading role on the opening night of his new play, The Accused, as a suspected murderer, despite the prospect of facing trial in real life.

The audience at the Theatre Royal in Windsor, who acted as a jury in the intense courtroom drama, found Archer's cardiologist character Patrick Sherwood not guilty of poisoning his wife.

The 628 theatregoers, who voted using TV game show-style electronic keypads, gave the cast rapturous applause at the end of the sell-out show.

He arrived at the theatre fresh from a real life appearance at Wimbledon police station in south London where he was charged with two counts of perjury, two counts of perverting the course of justice and one of using a false instrument.

A short time later, another leading character in the real life drama walked out of the police station.

Ted Francis, a former friend of Lord Archer, had told detectives the author had asked him to provide a false alibi during a 1987 libel action against the Daily Star.

Lord Archer won the libel case and substantial damages over claims that he had slept with a prostitute.

Last year, after Ted Francis claimed he had been asked to lie, the former deputy chairman of the Conservative party was forced to withdraw from the race to become London's mayor.

Mr Francis has also been charged with perverting the course of justice

Lord Archer must appear before Bow Street Magistrates next week. If perjury is proven, it can carry a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

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