CUSTOMS officer Paul Pascall will be changing his role later this week when he steps on stage to become one of Britain's favourite comedy characters.He will become nosey, bigoted, racist, lecherous but sexually frustrated, a miserly, interfering wretch - as landlord Rigsby in Rising Damp.

CUSTOMS officer Paul Pascall will be changing his role later this week when he steps on stage to become one of Britain's favourite comedy characters.

He will become nosey, bigoted, racist, lecherous but sexually frustrated, a miserly, interfering wretch - as landlord Rigsby in Rising Damp.

Mr Pascall, who works with HM Customs at Felixstowe port, is really looking forward to the role, which he is playing as part of Black and White Productions' presentation of Eric Chappel's stage play at Trimley St Martin Memorial Hall this weekend.

“I am having great fun and I can't wait for the show,” said Mr Pascall, of Constable Road, Felixstowe.

“It is quite a challenge to play a character which everyone knows so well and loves, and I think people would be a bit disappointed if Rigsby wasn't as they expect him to be - though as an actor you want to put your own interpretation on the character, too.

“I don't look anything like Rigsby - I haven't got that Dickensian aquiline nose! There is a duty to keep a large part of Leonard Rossiter's Rigsby - I have some of his mannerisms but I don't slavishly try to copy his voice and I try to put my own stamp on him.”

There are only four people in the play, which transferred to TV from the stage and has rarely been performed by amateur groups.

Mr Pascall, who originally came from Ipswich, moved to Felixstowe from Norfolk, where his work for customs included working at ports at King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth and also Norwich Airport, just over three years ago.

He has performed with Felixstowe Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society and was delighted when Susan Hawkes asked him to perform with Black and White Productions.

“It's a great little company and is a chance to do some different work - I do anything which interests me and that has included drama, panto and musicals,” he said.

Rising Damp will be on at the Memorial Hall, High Road, Trimley St Martin, from Friday to Sunday at 7.45pm. It will also be at the St Nicholas Centre in Ipswich from April 26 to 28. Tickets are £8 from 01394 279613.