Degree of difficulty, but new actor dives headfirst into role

By KELLY BREE

He was an international sportsman who was comfortable in a pair of swimming togs, so it's small wonder Jason Te Patu feels at home when he fronts an audience in a loincloth.

The 30-year-old represented New Zealand in springboard diving, aerobics and gymnastics and it was sport which first fuelled his love for performing.

Now he's playing Helicon in the Auckland Theatre Company production of Caligula.

It's his first real acting job, on the cusp of musical roles in Hair! and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

In Caligula, Helicon is a former slave who wore a loincloth and was beaten repeatedly. Caligula, the infamous Roman emperor, makes Helicon his right-hand man and the two are lovers.

"I'm not submissive like he is, so it's been a real challenge," Te Patu says.

Working with actors like Oliver Driver, Danielle Cormack and Simon Prast put Te Patu in a state of shock.

"I'm embracing every moment of working with this cast because, as one of the other actors says, they're like the Jedi Council of actors.

"They come with new information and they're so intelligent and I just soak it all in. It's a full process for them, familiarising themselves with the history of the Roman Empire and how their character would have acted at the time."

Although his career on the stage is just starting, Te Patu is a veteran entertainer who has clocked up a remarkable mix of achievements.

He moved from Wanganui to Wellington to start a law degree before throwing in that towel for the spotlight in Auckland.

Some of his trained actor friends are struggling to find roles, but Te Patu has mastered voiceovers, television ads, gym instructing and radio jingles so he's never without work.

And he was the choreographer for this year's NZ Idol show. "I'm lucky that I can work in a cross-section of different performing arts, doing what I love to do. I have friends who are trained actors and can't find work, so yeah, I never complain. I'm absolutely keen to do theatre after this experience. There's nothing like that live reaction."

Performance

*Who: Jason Te Patu in Caligula

*Where and when: Maidment Theatre; preview tonight, opens tomorrow until October 23