Eking out a living and having fun

Actors (from left) Patrick Davies (Baskerville), Nick Dunbar (Sherlock Holmes) and Simon Leary ...
Actors (from left) Patrick Davies (Baskerville), Nick Dunbar (Sherlock Holmes) and Simon Leary (Watson) appear snookered as they search for clues in preparation for their performance of The Hound of the Baskervilles. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
Madcap, hilarious comedy it may be, but does it pay the bills? Rebecca Fox talks to three actors about their latest production and the state of theatre.

Juggling multiple characters is a lot more fun than playing just one, Nick Dunbar says.

''I think I'm going to have a lot more fun playing 10 characters than just one,'' the former Dunedin actor said.

He and his The Hound of the Baskervilles co-stars Simon Leary and Patrick Davies should know.

The three actors play multiple characters and Davies even directs it as well, something he admits can be a bit of a challenge.

''Every now and again I'm on stage and I stop acting because I'm thinking about the directing of it and then I'm off stage and I'm thinking about my character. It's a new discipline for me to learn.''

However, with the support of the other actors and the behind-the-scenes team, he did not feel unsafe taking up both roles in the play written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and adapted for stage by Steven Canny and John Nicholson.

''At this point in my career this level of risk is invigorating. It's grabbing a hold of a tiger's tail and seeing what happens.''

The play is a comedy take on the popular Sherlock Holmes tale in which

Holmes (Dunbar) and his trusty sidekick Watson (Leary) attempt to unravel the ancient curse of the Baskerville family (Davies) before the hound claims its next victim.

''It's one of Holmes' most recognised stories,'' Davies said.

The production has brought together the three actors, all of whom have connections with Dunedin and with each other.

''... one of the great things about this piece is that it is really lovely to be able to bring three Otago boys back in here, especially since it's going around Otago and Southland.

''It's nice to bring successful actors together. I like the idea the three of us have gone to drama school, gone overseas, have come back.

''The people who go and see the show in the regions - it is touring nine towns in the South - will be able to identify with us. ''It's so good we're able to take the show around to all these communities. It's really important once a year something comes around to add to the local flavour of repertory.

''It shows there is a career for you [in acting].''

Leary, who grew up in Timaru and attended the University of Otago's theatre studies programme before going to national drama school, said he never saw professional actors while he was growing up.

''I never saw acting as a viable career. In Timaru, I suppose we never saw actors. We'd only see them on TV.''

He was studying theatre at Otago when he decided he was going to make acting a career and headed off to New Zealand Drama School.

The Fortune production would be his second protrayal of Mr Watson; he

performed it for Centrepoint Theatre, in Palmerston North, last year.

Davies said he stumbled into acting only because he went to an audition with a mate when he was 15 years old.

''Even when I was at university doing performance papers, I didn't see it as an option. It was only the really talented and amazing people who even attempted to audition for drama school.''

It was after working at the Fortune and with local professionals that Davies felt he had built up enough skill to go to drama school. In 2006 he started a master's degree in theatre arts in directing.

Dunbar, who grew up in Dunedin, said the university's Allen Hall was the ''playground'' that started his love of acting, combined with performances in the likes of the capping show.

Although his first audition for drama school failed, devastating him, he did not let that faze him.

''I did some part-time papers in dance and improv and then I got a professional gig at the Fortune. I had a great year, so I auditioned again. I was much better for it and I got in. It was magic.''

Despite his love of acting, he said it was a ''s**t'' career and he would not recommend it.

''What's lovely is when you do get a job, when you are working and playing and involved in it, you have to stop and pinch yourself and tell yourself how lucky you are.

''It is a tough industry, it's tiny and the funding is small. There are lots of people going for the same jobs. Your talent and skill base often has no influence on you getting the work - your CV doesn't mean anything sometimes. It's the way you look.''

Admittedly, for a play like the Baskervilles it would not be possible to cast looks over talent, he said.

''It does require acting but if you were going for a TV [show] or commercial ...''

Davies said the great thing was he had worked with Dunbar and Leary before.

''You need comic timing, dramatic acting and physical acting as well. Knowing I had these two on board made it easier.''

Dunbar, who is now based in Auckland, said Baskervilles was written like a film script, so they were going from one scene to the next very quickly compared with the average play.

''This is jumping around a lot. It's fun for us to be in and fun for the audience. It's almost like a film score with all the bits we are adding.''

Davies said there was a quote he quite liked which related well to acting.

''I'm rich but I'm not wealthy.''

While his work did take him overseas, he realised early in his career that he would never own a house.

''Even if I won Lotto or got an ad for $60 grand, I'm squirreling that away. I'm not even looking at a deposit, that's not even entering my head. That helps me survive.''

Despite this he felt very lucky and because Dunedin was his home he had received good opportunities in the past six years to be involved in ''gigs at the Fortune''.

''I'm really well-supported in my career by the Fortune. It's great to be able to work in my home town. The reason I'm half in Wellington is, while it's great to work here, I need to find other things to do. There's not a lot in Dunedin.''

Leary said it was amazing to be able to make his hobby his job but admitted it was harder when actors had families.

There were actors who had to make a decision between their passion and supporting their families, often giving up the craft.

Despite all of this, the three men were enjoying their rehearsals and looking forward to getting on stage.

''There are multiple characters, accents all over the place. It'll be a fun time for us and the audience as they see us sweat blood and tears to entertain them.''

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