Viv Hardwick talks to drummer and comedian turned actor Russ Abbot about taking on the words of Wilde as a palmist with a gift for predicting murder.

LAYING a professional palmist doing interviews on Friday the 13th creates few problems for ex-TV comedy star turned actor Russ Abbot. He's not the slightest bit superstitious about theatre hokus-pokus as he prepares to bring the role of Septimus Podgers in Lord Arthur Savile's Crime to Newcastle's Theatre Royal next week.

Podgers is the pivotal part in the adaptation of Oscar Wilde's short story because his character predicts Lord Arthur will commit murder which leads to comic capers as the nobleman tries to "get it out of way" before his wedding.

The 57-year-old says: "No, I'm not superstitious. I think there's only one possibility and that's the Scottish play, but that's being considerate to others rather than myself. But ladders, black cats and touching wood, no."

As for whistling in a theatre being frowned on, Abbot points to old trouper Ronnie Ronald: "He was a professional whistler on stage, so how did he get on?"

Abbot was attracted immediately to Trevor Baxter's latest adaptation of Wilde's which has taken other pieces like his poems from Reading Jail to flesh out the characters.

Discovering that Sara Crowe, Susan Penhaligon, Barry Howard and Royce Mills were on the tour as well turned out to be the deciding factor.

"A nice cast, that's the bonus. You look at it first and think 'the part's good but what goes with it?' and then they come up with a cast like this and you know you're going to have a good time and good company. It was actually a clincher when I was offered the role by Bill Kenwright," says the actor, who is fresh from stage success in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Camelot and panto.

Asked about the marvellous beard he's now sporting, he says: "It was either mutton chops or a beard and I didn't fancy the mutton chops because I've got to live a personal life as well and I didn't want to have to keep answering questions about it.

""I did Captain Hook over Christmas and trimmed it down to a goatee to avoid the glue really - it got out of the dressing room and into the pub quicker - and then it was ready for Podgers for Lord Arthur Savile's Crime."

Abbot is pleased but realistic about being recently voted one of Britain's top hundred comics. "Somebody told me of another top 100 polls about comedy sketches, which didn't include me, so you take it all with a pinch of salt. It's a compliment, but I've never classed myself as a comedian as such, I'm more of a comic actor. Comedians are always, I think, stand-up and tells jokes, now I don't do that."

Does he feel he should have take up dramatic acting earlier?

"No, it's interesting because Robert Lindsay said to me when he took over from me as Fagin in Oliver! 'do you know it's fantastic, you've crossed the line. You should have crossed before', but I replied 'yes, but I wanted to make a living first'. I can afford to cross the line now because I couldn't afford to be an actor."

Abbots' early career was all about becoming a drummer in the band, the Black Abbots, which became one of Britain's most successful touring club acts.

He says: "I never thought we'd become the successful comedy show band we did. From there to the solo career and the awards and funniest man etc you think 'gosh this is running away', but fortunately I've had good management for 35 years and it's kept our feet on the ground. I think I'm lucky in the sense that my background and my training and my apprenticeship has put me in good stead for acting because I'm now streetwise and I feel that even without the official drama or RADA training I can take on a part knowing that I've met that person somewhere throughout my life or someone like him. I can play that part naturally because I think that natural acting is the best that you can possibly have."

John Sackville, who plays Lord Arthur Savile, recently asked Abbot for a couple of tapes from his TV show days just to reminisce and the genial giant admitted he struggled to pick something "there was that many there, so I picked one from 1982 and from 1987". He also decided to watch some and found himself admitting that the jokes were a bit over the top, but that was obviously what made it work.

Abbot says: "In all fairness it was disciplined and done properly and believed in. So my career is the same now except I'm not looking for belly laughs, but sensible-style laughter in a nice play. I'm lucky that I can pick and choose my work, it's not a necessity these days, particularly as I'll be a pensioner soon. Part of the success now is that people who come and see me and, without being flash, I think they can trust me and they know they're going to get good value for money."

During his days with the Black Abbots he remembers vividly touring to the working men's clubs of Newcastle and Sunderland in the Sixties and Seventies.

"I remember staying in digs at South Lodge near Roker Park, we never touched the Midlands for years, we would work in South Wales for two weeks and Saturday night we'd have to be in the North-East for Sunday lunch-time. Once we'd broken in and established ourselves it was fine, but they were a tough crowd to start with, especially with the likes of Bobby Pattinson... it was a case of 'okay if you're good we'll show you, if not, on yer bike'."

* Oscar Wilde's Lord Arthur Savile's Crime runs at Newcastle's Theatre Royal Monday to Saturday. Box Office: 0870 905 506.

Published: 02/06/2005