THOSE using the services of a new Essex personnel agency could find today’s dogsitter is tomorrow’s Hollywood or West End top dog.

Acting Concierge’s roster is made up entirely of professional, trained actors, who are, in trade parlance, “resting” between stage or screen jobs.

Actors who sign up for the internet service will turn their hand to anything legal and decent. “Our clients can get an actor, of their choice, to house-sit, sing to the cat, answer the phone as a Glaswegian.

They can even get an actor who has played Hamlet to tutor their teenager on the play,” says founder Toby Davies.

The idea for Acting Concierge was dreamed up by Toby, 29, while performing at Brentwood Theatre in December.

He immediately went into partnership with friends and fellow-actors Geoff Newland and Joe Marsh.

“We are launching the site in Essex and London catchment areas to start with, but eventually we plan to roll it out across the entire UK,” says Toby.

“There’s no lack of resting actors in search of short-term employment to keep them going, and there are lots of people who need short-term jobs done in the home or office. This brings the two together in a perfect process of supply and demand.”

Toby, Geoff and Joe found other actors were swift to sign up, and quite a few had specialist skills.

“We have barristers, cooks, an A&E nurse, project managers, teachers, tutors, and the voice of the Tesco swipe machine,” says Toby, who has performed regularly at the Palace Theatre, Westcliff and Mercury theatre, Colchester. “The majority have at least one university degree, and are also CRB checked.”

As for the CVs of its actors, Acting Concierge’s list ranges across the Royal Shakespeare Company, feature films, Sky TV, BBC’s Spooks, Channel 4’s Misfits, and Coronation Street.

The trio hope the new business will make enough money to help them to set up their own theatre company. “But it’s a benevolent venture, too,” says Toby.

“Too many good actors drop out of the profession because they can’t support themselves between jobs. Yet the next job could be the one that makes them famous and financially stable.”

For clients, there is an extra perk. Toby says: “We’ve found many of them love to have a cup of tea with our guys and talk about the actors’ lives.

“Lots of people just want someone to talk to, and it’s an exciting bonus if the person in question is someone they recognise from TV.”

www.actingconcierge.com