Holmes to star as artful codger

By THERESA GARNER

His CD went platinum before being deleted by the record company. He was an extra in the orc army in The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers.

Now broadcaster Paul Holmes is combining his acting and singing talent, starring as the pickpocket Fagin in the musical Oliver!, based on the Charles Dickens classic Oliver Twist. Holmes will appear at the Aotea Centre along with 250 youngsters in the Auckland Children's Musical Theatre production in May.

In recreating one of Dickens' most vivid characters, Holmes follows such acting greats as Sir Alec Guinness and Ron Moody, who played the scoundrel leading a gang of thieving children through the slums of Victorian London.

When contacted by the Herald to discuss the role, Holmes demanded to know if he was speaking to a specialist arts reporter, and then refused to answer any questions.

A theatre company spokeswoman said she hoped Holmes would draw an audience. "We've never had anyone like Paul - some people love him, some people hate him," Jan Hosking said. "It'll be interesting how it's all going to be put together and whether we get anything out of it."

Asked if he had a good voice, Mrs Hosking replied, "Well, he's put out a CD. I think, personally, he'd make a good Fagin. Obviously he's going to need a beard and long hair and what have you."

Mrs Hosking said Holmes was inspired to audition after seeing past performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and last year's Annie, in which his son had appeared. Liz Gunn and Sally Ridge's children have also taken part in previous shows.

"Paul came to see our Joseph with [his son's] school and was blown away by the whole effect. He just couldn't believe what we could do with 300 kids coming and going on the stage so professionally."

Most of the children have to pay to be involved in the show, but guest artists have traditionally been paid. "I doubt whether Paul will be paid," Mrs Hosking said. "He's just doing it purely because he thinks its a wonderful thing. It's something he's always wanted to do.

"Moneywise, it's difficult to keep this going." The company recently cancelled a planned production of A Chorus Line.

It will cost $28 for adults and $15 for children to see Holmes sing You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two.