He's the well-meaning, daffy bank manager, Lloyd Draper, in Outrageous Fortune. Played by Scott Harding, he's a Tuesday night regular on our TV screens. Right now, the actor is taking on a theatrical role that is a long way from Draper's goofiness.
With quite a bit of comedy work under his
belt, Harding decided to widen his scope and go for the kidnapper's role in Dolphin Theatre's The Kidnap Game.
But the play's director, Sheila Summers, felt the role of arms dealer Paul Kendon would suit him better.
"He's so good at farce and has audiences in stitches, but I knew he had more to him as an actor," she says.
The Kidnap Game takes place in the London office of a wealthy arms dealer who's just learned his daughter has been kidnapped.
"It's been challenging working out of my comfort zone," says Harding who says his character, Kendon, is in some ways more attuned to to his own hobbies.
"I have a personal interest in the special forces. It all started with the WWII computer game Medal of Honor: Frontline. I noticed a medal of honour society at the back of the instructions and my interest grew from there."
Harding reveals that he might almost have gone through life as a car salesman.
"I was in Wellington in the 1990s holding down a daytime job as a Mazda salesman. It suddenly dawned on me that I no longer wanted to act in my spare time.
"I knew then I'd rather be happy on the bones of my arse than sitting in front of a computer all day getting bugeyed."
The Kidnap Game, The Dolphin Theatre, 12 Spring St, Onehunga, Sept 20-Oct 11. Tickets: ph 636 7322.
