Actor juggles army and stage

Lutz Hamm can fire a missile one day and give a sensitive and nuanced performance on stage the next. Photo / John Stone

A Whangarei man who joined the army to fund his clown training is among the up-and-coming young performers taking to the stage in the city this week.

Five of this year's 19-actor intake at Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School are from Northland, and three of these students - Whangarei's Luke Baker, Summer Millett and Lutz Hamm - had returned home for a special showcase of their year's work.

Mr Hamm, 21, told of how he joined the New Zealand Army's Territorial Force in 2013 to earn the $5000 he needed to attend the prestigious John Bolton Theatre School, where he studied units including clown and vaudeville.

He has stayed in the force since, as a way of supporting his acting, including his first year at Toi Whakaari, though firing missiles and grenade launchers can be a bit trying for an artistic soul.

"For me as an actor it's incredibly useful as I can go do training whenever I've got down time," Mr Hamm said.

"I do enjoy parts of it - the physical challenge and you have to be really mentally and physically disciplined. But the culture is very difficult to deal with as an artist. I'm very much on the left [and] it's macho as."

The young actors' solo performances this week are being hosted by local theatre collective Company of Giants and formed part of the training towards the students' Bachelor of Performing Arts in Acting.

Company of Giants convinced Whangarei District Council to allow them to take over a disused church under a one-year peppercorn rental, on the proviso they facilitated youth-orientated creative activities.

COG member Laurel Devenie said the show was "exactly" the type of event the company was looking to attract.

"It is really important to keep finding ways to provide these talented young people opportunities to keep coming back to our city," she said.

Ms Devenie, a Toi Whakaari graduate, said she was proud that three of this year's intake hailed from Whangarei, alongside another two from wider Northland.

The show, REPLAY, is at 116A Bank St, 6.30pm from tonight to Saturday. Bookings 09 459 6551 or bookings@ companyofgiants.co.nz. Tickets $10 or koha.