BE CAREFUL what you don't wish for.

"When I was younger someone told me I'd play Dracula one day," says Jack Klaff, grinning.

"Now, to be honest I was a bit annoyed. And why not? Dracula is almost always played by older, ugly guys.

"But I guess now that I've become an older, ugly guy it makes sense."

It has to be stressed that Jack Klaff doesn't look like an older, ugly guy at all.

Indeed, he's only a bottle of hair dye away from the young man who appeared in Star Wars, (4) or alongside Roger Moore's Bond in For Your Eyes Only.

Yet, while he's not appearing Dracula at Oran Mor this week, Jack is in fact appearing as Vlad The Impaler, the man whom it's claimed inspired Bram Stoker's creation.

Clearly, writer Richard Crane wasn't looking for an aesthetically-challenged actor for the role of the Romanian tyrant.

But what did he see in South African-born Jack which suggested he'd be perfect to play 15th century psychopath?

"Well, he saw my Dracula," says Jack, laughing. "And I guess he knew I understood what he was doing with the story."

Yes, the story. The play centres on Vlad having lunch with his impalees (played by Iain Robertson and Anna-Maria Nabirye.)

"He likes to chat, to get things off his chest. As a result, the impalees question Vlad, and they are funny and touching."

It's fascinating to think of someone about to have a sharpened pole inserted into their pantry manage a conversation over a bit of lunch, let alone offer more than morsel of whimsy.

But it's all in the writing. And the play is an allegory for the modern-day examples of monster behaviour by some of the world's most evil men.

"In the 15th century you had this medieval backdrop to Europe, yet at the same time new technology was emerging with the printing press," offers Jack.

"And the reason we know about Vlad is because he was written about and fame spread.

"Nowadays, we have a medieval thing going on in terms of terror.

"But at the same time we have this incredible new technology in the form of Facebook and Twitter which reveals the horrors of the world instantly. There's a real parallel."

There's no doubt Jack Klaff has both the commanding presence, and delicious hint of the exotic about him that lends to the stage creation of larger-than-life creatures.

But perhaps more than any other actor, he's perfectly placed to appear in a play about tyranny.

Born in South Africa, (his dad was a watchmaker who fixed Nelson Mandela's watch) Jack trained to become a human rights lawyer but when he moved to London in 1964 his focus switched to acting.

Over the years he's attracted huge attention for his monologues, revealing insights into politics, theatre and the human condition.

And along the way he's become a Princeton professor, a pioneer of the Sci-Art movement, a father of two, and interviewer of Nobel prize-winning scientists.

He's appeared at the Edinburgh Festival, (picked up two Fringe Firsts) the Citizens' Theatre and written his own powerful monologues which have achieved critical acclaim.

If there's a connective tissue to his work it's about honesty. For example, ask about the Star Wars experience and he lays it bare.

"I earned about £200 for it," he says of his small role. "I made more selling my autograph later on."

What about appearing as a Bond villain. "I had a lovely time," he recalls. "Roger Moore was always telling dirty jokes and trying to take the p***. And he's a very sweet man.

"One day in a night club after filming he picked up a microphone and began singing. Badly. And one of the assistants came up to him and said 'Watch out Roger, we've got real singers in the club.' And he looked up, grinned and said; 'We've got real actors on set every day, darling. That's never stopped me.'"

Jack Klaff is certainly a real actor. But how do you go about playing such a piece of evil as Vlad? The maniac picked up his nickname thanks to his murder method of choice whereby he would impale his enemies, ('via the jacksie and up through the spine') and often his own countrymen.

How do you get into the mind of that degree of malevolence?

"I assume I'm never wrong," he says, offering a wide grin. "And I have to dominate every situation I'm in. I have to win.

"And in getting into the role I think of the similarities with monsters such as Hitler and Stalin."

He adds, grinning while pulling at his facial hair; "And of course I've got the moustache which I've grown especially. That helps."

€¢ Vlad The Impaler, Oran Mor, until Saturday.