Full Transcript for Episode 10 - Joel Benjamin

00:04:27.680 And then from there, they were a feeder school for a college called SLP in Leeds. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:40.879 Um, and at the end of I think of a few years of doing that on like Friday night, we did some uh summer shows, some you know, um spring shows throughout the year, and they were like, What do you want to do? 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:42.399 Like, what do you want to do after school? 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.959 And I was like, I don't really know, but I'm enjoying this dance performing thing. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:52.480 And they were like, We're a feeder feeder school for a college uh called SLP. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:58.480 Um, so they sent me to an audition in Leeds and I was very fortunate enough to got it to get in. 00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:14.959 I was saying on a podcast with Hope recently um that I don't know what they saw in me, because it definitely wasn't talent, but it must have been um must have been some promise, yeah, a little bit of something, because whatever I showed on that day was uh was not great, but they still took me. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:20.800 I do put it down to being very fortunate that I'm a boy and there's not a lot of boys in the industry, at least when I was at college. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:23.360 Um so that definitely helped me. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:26.800 Um but yeah, I owe a lot to SLP. 00:05:26.879 --> 00:05:27.279 They took me. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:38.079 It was actually the only college I knew about and um auditioned for because I didn't know about any others, and so I'm really thankful they took me because I don't know what I would have done if they didn't. 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:43.360 Um and it was only through college that I really started to understand what I was getting into. 00:05:43.439 --> 00:05:45.360 Um, I didn't know anything about musical theater. 00:05:45.519 --> 00:05:48.480 I don't actually think I had ever seen a full musical. 00:05:48.639 --> 00:06:09.519 I remember the first musical I ever saw was Kinky Boots in my first year of college, because we came down to London for something called Move It, which is where all the performing colleges across the country kind of come together and show showcase dances and performances um for everybody, like a like a kind of um Comic-Con kind of thing, but for for performing. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:21.040 Um, so we c we you come down every year, and my mum took me on that first year because I still wasn't really sure how to live life on my own, uh, even though I'd moved out at 16 and gone to college to live on my own. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:32.480 Uh, and so she took me down and dropped me off at the theatre, and I met up with some friends from college there, and I watched uh Kinky Boots, which had Jason in who I had on a couple weeks a few weeks ago on the podcast. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.279 Um that was the first thing I'd ever seen, and he was in it. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:49.680 Um, and then yeah, so the college was where

I first started to understand the the level of difficulty of what I'd kind of picked and started to feel that excitement for it and the drive for it. 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:51.839 And I remember in my first year I really struggled. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:59.360 There was um I loved it, but I wasn't picking it up as fast as I wanted to, um, because I didn't do it like everybody else since they were three years old. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:10.480 You know, I'd I'd I'd only gone into ballet literally three months before I went to college just to have some basis in it, and I was in in class in college with people that had been doing it since they were like a tiny tot. 00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:18.959 Um, so I felt behind and and when it came to exams at the end of the year, I remember I'd failed like most of them. 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:30.160 So I knew that I was behind and I needed to I needed to push through to be able to work harder than probably harder than other people were needing to, just to be able to get to their level and keep up with them. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:37.040 Uh, I remember in second year we had to choose whether we wanted to stay on the musical theatre course uh or switch to the dance course. 00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:45.120 Now that there were those those were the two courses in your first year, you you get put on what you uh what the teachers think your best uh strengths are. 00:07:45.279 --> 00:07:47.759 And at that time, I think my singing was more of my strength. 00:07:47.839 --> 00:07:57.040 Um, so they put me on the musical theatre course, and you got the choice to switch um either either or to the other one in for your second and third year if you wanted to. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:03.759 And I remember going, I don't like that I'm not as good at dance, so I want to switch to the dance course. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:05.839 And everyone was like, Joel, what on earth are you doing? 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:11.600 You you're better at singing, stay in your lane, do that, don't go to a dance course, you're not great at dance. 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:16.800 And that's exactly why that actually fueled me, uh, gave me that lit that fire underneath me. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:17.839 I was like, you know what? 00:08:17.920 --> 00:08:21.839 That's exactly why I need to, because I want to be better at the things I'm not good at. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:25.680 Um, and so I switched to the dance course, and it was the absolute best decision. 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:29.680 Um, because then I became I was now I'm way more of a dancer than I am a singer. 00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:36.240 I can still sing, but like I'd say dancing is easily my my biggest strength, and it's the thing I enjoy the most as well, which is more important. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:43.440 Um, yeah, so that's that's kind of how my college um time went. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:50.159 I remember at the big at the end of third year, and this taught me a big lesson about myself as well.

00:08:50.320 --> 00:09:02.960 We'd all arranged, a group of us had arranged to go down for like one of the first auditions, um, to go down to London for there was an open call for Mamma Mia in uh on Royal Caribbean on the Allure of the Seas. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:05.360 And we'd all arranged, and I was a little bit of a fish. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.200 I kind of went along with what everyone else did. 00:09:07.279 --> 00:09:08.960 I didn't really want to go against the flow. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:11.360 Um so we'd all arranged to do it, and I was excited. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:16.240 Uh, and then a few days before we were supposed to go down, everyone backed out. 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:20.399 Uh, you weren't technically allowed to audition at that point, I don't think, in college. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:25.440 So I think maybe like fear got the best of some people, or they just they didn't want to or couldn't be bothered, I don't know what it was. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.720 Um and on any other occasion I'd have backed out as well. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:43.840 But I went, you know what, for the first time in my life, let me let me do what I want to do, regardless of what somebody else is like even if it feels scary, you know, because I think that would have been one of the first times I ever went to London on my own as well. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:46.000 Um, so I was like, you know what, I need to do this. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:52.159 And I went and I ended up getting the job, and that was my first job, and I left and I went before I even graduated. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:58.720 Um, and that taught me, okay, just because other people do it doesn't mean that you should do it because you can miss out on opportunities. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:05.279 And had I not gone down, I wouldn't that my first year of my professional career would have been very different. 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:08.559 So I'm so glad that I followed through on that. 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:13.679 Um, from there, um, yeah, it just kind of snowballed really. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:14.879 I learned a lot on that first job. 00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:16.559 It was the best first job it could have been. 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:19.200 Um, there's lots, lots to learn. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.759 Um, things I did wrong, things I did well. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:25.279 Um, and I I would never replace that job. 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:31.919 It was I met so many amazing people, and it was a safe environment for a first job. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:35.039 I was young, I don't I graduated at 19 years old. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:41.120 Um, and I was in, I didn't have to move around a lot, but I still got to travel, and that's how I knew that I loved to travel as well. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:45.279 So I was on a ship and we would we were going around the Caribbean kind of like for a for a year. 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:53.919 Um so obviously I was in like Miami for for rehearsals, um, and then we went on the ship and we were there for like 10, 11 months. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:01.120 Uh, and you still had your your small kind of like your your cabin, so you're you're in the same place for the year, but you're still moving around. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:08.480 And I think that was a good introduction to travelling without it being too like you're immediately on tour, you're immediately like here, there and everywhere, and it's super overwhelming. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:13.600 Um, so I think it was the perfect thing that needed to happen, and I don't regret it at all. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:16.480 Um and then yeah, since then it's kind of snowballed. 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:26.960 I've been very fortunate to go for auditions and and then and get the next thing, whether it's tours or or West End or um yeah, commercial TV stuff. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:31.519 It's been yeah, I think that's how that's how it kind of came about. 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:33.519 Um you asked about the podcast as well. 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.840 Um the podcast, I think I've explained briefly about the podcast before. 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:42.480 Um but the podcast didn't come about because I really wanted to do one. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:52.000 It was actually something that I'd kind of had on my mind maybe to do some point in the future, but I was very adamant that I wanted to do something. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:57.120 I wanted something to take my mind off just just the the job that I'm doing, just Hercules. 00:11:57.200 --> 00:11:59.200 I wanted something else to fill my time as well. 00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:06.960 Um and there was a friend that I had that wanted to do a podcast, and I was like, oh, let's do it together. 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:11.679 He was he's very funny, very comical, and I'm uh I'm a bit more like straight. 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:16.879 I give it to you straight, I'm a little bit more direct, very entertaining the way we'd we would bounce off each other. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:22.799 It's uh funny to listen to, and that's why we thought we would be a good a good pair to do a podcast together. 00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:39.519 Um for whatever reason that didn't work out, and I was kind of left with the idea of still wanting to do this podcast, but in a similar situation to college, somebody else had had uh had backed out, and I was left with a with a question of, oh, is this something you're still gonna do? 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:44.080 Or because now you're the only one willing to do it, are you gonna back out of it as well? 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:59.679 And it took me back to that that time in college where I was like, I'm gonna go to that audition, and I went, you know what, I don't even know what this is gonna be about yet anymore, because without the two people, it didn't really have I'd need to change the whole thing, I need to come up with a completely new idea. 00:12:59.840 --> 00:13:03.279 Um, but all I knew was d follow

through. 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.279 Follow through, those are the two ways. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:11.759 So I was like, you don't always follow through on um career things if it's like feels like too much work. 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:14.399 I was like, make this something you follow through on, regardless. 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.639 If you don't know what it is, fine, figure it out along the way. 00:13:16.799 --> 00:13:17.759 And so it became that. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:21.440 And I first I was like, I kind of need to find what's it gonna be about. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:27.679 I was like, well, I I talk really well when I am one-on-one with people. 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.279 So I don't I didn't want to do it on my own. 00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:44.559 I wanted to do it with people, but also having to organize it with just like one person all the time, like if schedules don't match, I was like, it's it's easier to have a guest on because that way if that person can't do it, then I can get somebody else, and there's like an endless sea of people that I can use. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:51.200 Um so that's kind of how I came about the being like an interview kind of host. 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:53.360 Then I was like, okay, what do I talk about? 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:55.360 There's there's a million and one podcasts out there. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.039 I was like, what what specifically makes this different? 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:10.399 And I like the idea of talking a little bit about career, but I wanted to make put a focus on the person behind the performer because the the industry doesn't do that. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:21.200 There's so many other podcasts out there as well that will focus just on um what college did you go to, um, what what training did you have, like what shows have you done. 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:24.480 Uh, and that's throughout uh throughout Instagram as well. 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:30.559 That's how you know if you if you recognize someone, you you go, oh, I I've seen you in this, or oh, I remember you were in this. 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:35.840 You never go, oh, I I know you had three brothers and four sisters, and do you know what I mean? 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:39.279 You don't know anything about them, you just know what they've done career-wise. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:53.360 And I was like, I need to change that because in an industry where where companies uh and jobs will essentially value you based on whatever your CV looks like, um, and that becomes your worth a little bit. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.279 I was like, I kind of want to cut through that. 00:14:55.360 --> 00:15:02.240 Uh, and while there is a place for getting to know what someone's done, um, obviously we're here a lot of the time because of our career. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.399 Um, so it's important to kind of highlight that. 00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:15.519 I wanted to make that less of the focus and the focus more about on the person and their journey and how they've got to where they are, the decisions that they've made that made them the person that they are. 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.679 Um, and that felt like something that no other podcast was doing. 00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:24.799 Um, and so it didn't just feel like another podcast in the sea of podcasts that there already are. 00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:37.039 It felt like something unique that that nobody else was doing that that has some weight to it, where I'm not just dodging the difficult questions um that I'm still asking them. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:50.480 Um and creating a safe, intimate environment where a guest can open up with me and feel listened to, heard, accepted, uh, and not judged for whatever they want to share or don't want to share is completely up to them. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:51.200 Do you know what I mean? 00:15:51.279 --> 00:16:08.639 I'm not gonna dig um any more than they're they they're comfortable with me digging for uh for stories from them because the most important thing is that they leave feeling like respected and they leave feeling like what they've shared, they're comfortable with it. 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:11.600 Like, oh no, I've just put this on, I've just put this online. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:12.399 Do you know what I mean? 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:45.039 Um and I've had really good feedback, and a lot of the feedback hasn't actually been direct feedback to me, it's been third-party feedback in the sense that I will put a reel up on Instagram on on the implame clothes uh Instagram uh page, and it'll be of uh of one of the guests talking about everything that they've done or um or like the history that people didn't know about, and then their followers will will comment on on that reel being like, oh my god, I've known you for years, I didn't know this about you. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:45.919 This is amazing. 00:16:46.080 --> 00:17:05.279 We love you, like we we're here for you, all this really lovely stuff, and in a way that's that's validating a huge amount of what I'm doing here, is I'm trying to get people to see more about these performers that I'm having on the podcast, and they're loving it, like they're they're loving hearing about this stuff. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:13.599 So even though it's not like a direct compliment to me, it feels like what I'm doing has weight to it and that it is important and there is a space for it. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:23.359 Uh, and then I've had a couple of actual guests that have come back being like, wow, I was nervous for it to go on, but I've had so much love from it that like I'm I'm really positive. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:25.039 Thank you for providing a space for that. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.359 Um, so it's kind of grown as it's gone. 00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:36.960 It didn't really I didn't start with, I want this and it's and it's and it's gonna be this podcast and it's gonna be about this and it's gonna have this effect and this it's

gonna be in this space. 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:41.599 It kind of just happened step by step, and then it kind of created itself. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:50.559 And the more that like it's been reacted to, the more I've gone lent into it and gone with it, and it's it's developed itself into this. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:53.359 So it's kind of yeah, I'm very happy. 00:17:53.440 --> 00:18:02.079 It's still at the early stages, you know, there's still plenty more that I can be improving on, plenty more that I want to do with it, but I don't know what I want to fully do with it yet, and that's kind of the point. 00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:07.200 Like, it's gonna it's gonna progress itself, and I'm just gonna go with it and see what more can be done. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.480 Yeah, that was a very long answer for a very quick question. 00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.000 So no, it's all good. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:20.240 Okay, so I guess the other thing I want to ask you is because I have not got a whole CV here to actually know what you have done, but you have brought up Mamma Mia. 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:22.960 Yes, um, so you've obviously done a cruise. 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:26.000 Uh have you also toured and stuff like that? 00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:26.960 Yes, yes. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:28.799 So I've I started with Mamma Mia. 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:34.880 Um I played I was first cover for uh Sky and Eddie. 00:18:34.960 --> 00:18:38.559 Um really fun, very, very appropriate for the age I was. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:45.039 Um, and then when I came back, I went for an edition for um Bodyguard. 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:47.440 Uh that was for the European tour. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:52.559 So we did um, which I got, and we did I was cover stalker in that one. 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:57.839 Um, and we did Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and Germany. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:02.960 Uh we were supposed to do more, but about six months into that, COVID hit. 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:06.240 Um, so then that was that was cancelled. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:10.799 Um, but we still got like six months out of it, so some sometimes that's a full-length contract. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.519 So um I've always ended up doing year contracts. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:16.079 I don't know how I keep falling onto that. 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:19.599 But um, so shortly after that, obviously we had COVID. 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:31.359 Um, and then on the back end of COVID, like nothing things still weren't happening, but there was there was an audition for um Chicago that my agent was like, you need to go for this. 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:34.160 There's nothing, there's nothing else going on right now. 00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:36.799 Like, um, go to any audition that you can. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.920 So there's a Chicago audition, which we went for and ended up getting that. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:42.079 So I did the UK tour for that. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:43.519 I played Fred Caseley. 00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.559 Um that was great. 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:53.839 And then after that, I was I auditioned for lots of like travelling and jumping around in between. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:56.720 We went to Dubai with that as well, which was uh amazing. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.680 Love Dubai. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:04.000 Um and then we went to not we went, I went for an audition for Dirty Dancing. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:07.519 Um and I that was for West End. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:12.799 I got cover first cover Johnny and first cover Robbie in that. 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:27.680 Um and then from there oh from there that went straight out on tour afterwards, so I ended up doing West End for a bit and then UK tour for that, and then we actually had an extension to Paris, so I did Paris for a little bit with that as well. 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:29.599 Um that was really fun, loved that. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:31.359 Uh Dirty Dancing's a great show. 00:20:31.599 --> 00:20:45.279 And then after that, I had a couple of months um where oh, and then I went to Chicago asked for my availability, so I went back to I'm literally listing it out like it's this is wild. 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:54.880 I didn't expect to do this, but um then I went back with Chicago um to do Japan for a few weeks, which then extended to a full kind of Asia tour. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:21:00.000 We did a whole bunch of China, um, we did Taiwan, and we also did Abu Dhabi as well. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:07.839 So it was really great to get into do Abu Dhabi and um and Dubai with the same show but at very different times. 00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:13.359 Um and then when I came back from that, I did a couple of like workshops. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:28.720 Oh, oh, I did uh I did a UK tour for um Saving Grace, the great uh GK Barry, Saving Grace, it's the um it's a podcast, um much, much bigger, bigger podcast, very uh loved over the country. 00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:36.640 I did a her UK tour um as like kind of stripper uh male entertainer on her podcast, which came on at the end. 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:38.960 Um that was that was very fun. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:42.480 That was only for like a month, but I that was around Ireland and and the UK as well. 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:44.720 And we got to do the London Palladium with that as well. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:46.960 So that was my second time in West End. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.759 Um a lot of fun, really, really enjoyed that. 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:55.680 And then shortly after that, I think that was just before my Chicago in Asia. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:59.759 Um so after I came back from Asia, then um I did the midnight. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:00.960 Workshops. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:05.759 Um that was uh with the the new new show by Todric Hall. 00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:13.200 Um so I got to do that um and then jumped onto Hercules where I played Zeus, play, still play Zeus. 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:24.720 Yeah,

yeah, that's still still going on, and then still did uh did another w workshop um a couple workshops but another one for midnight um during that time. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:39.680 There's been some like there's been some TV stuff and there's been some um like commercials as well in that time and then and then yeah we've got three I'm currently off at the moment because I've got a little injury um but I'll be back with a few weeks to go in Hercules. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:46.480 Then I've got a little break and then I'm on to a new thing which hasn't actually been announced yet, so I'm not going to say what it is. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:48.880 Um, but something very exciting as well. 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:51.839 Um yeah, exciting for the rest of the year. 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:54.079 I'm um very much looking forward to it. 00:22:54.160 --> 00:23:03.680 So yeah, I've been it's been there's been some pantos as well, like I've missed missed some stuff out, but it's been yeah, almost almost 10 years now of um of bouncing around the bounce bouncing around the industry. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:12.559 Very impressive, very impressive CV Yeah, West End touring, cruise, like yeah, I think you've got to see some beautiful places for sure all around the world. 00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:13.839 Yeah, very lucky. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:20.720 I'm actually planning on doing a very big, very big trip um in just over a year, which is gonna be about a year long. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:36.559 Um I've decided that everything I've kind of done in uh since graduating has been in in pursuit of my career, and I wanted to do something kind of almost to commemorate the 10 years I've been working so far to um take some time for me and do something just for myself. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:41.279 Uh and I absolutely love to travel, I love to explore the world, I love to see new places. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:54.240 Um so I'm doing a it's currently 10 and a half months, but it might be up to a full year around Southeast Asia and Australia and the continent, not just the country. 00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:57.440 Um and I think it's about 16 countries that I'm gonna take off. 00:23:57.519 --> 00:24:05.279 So that's that I think that's currently, I mean, subject to change, you know, never know what happens, but currently that's um set for next August. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:06.880 So I'm very excited about that. 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:10.480 Um very big, very big trip that I've been planning for a few years now. 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:23.359 Um, something to kind of, you know, something for me rather than just you know, career mindset, something that I want to do just for my own personal journey and something that really excites me that I can learn a lot from. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:23.920 Yeah. 00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:24.559 Okay. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:25.759 All right. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:31.519 So I guess the next question that I'll ask is um what still excites you about performing? 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:33.599 Like, why are you still in this industry? 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:39.359 Because it is a bit of a hard one to be in in this day and age in terms of like financially and everything like that. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:42.400 So you know, yeah, it it's it's funny because it changes. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:45.039 It changes as as the years have gone on. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:47.039 What's excited me has changed. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:51.200 I think at the beginning of the career, it was kind of everything because the world was my oyster. 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:54.319 I was kind of like, um, this excites me, this excites me. 00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:00.799 I'd I'd see different musicals, I'd see performances, whatever it was, it would all get me riled up because I just wanted to perform full stop. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:06.480 And I think the longer you go on, you start to find more specific avenues that feel more right for you. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:11.759 And also you start to understand your castability, you start to understand what you're good for, and also what you're not good for. 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:21.680 So the things that you kind of accept aren't aren't what you're gonna be casting, it doesn't excite you because you're like, well, I'm never gonna, I'm never that's never gonna be what I'm chosen for anyway. 00:25:21.839 --> 00:25:32.720 Um so I think more recently it's been and I can always tell because I'll see performances, and if it fills me with like excitement, then it's probably something I want to do, and if it doesn't, then it's probably something I'm not too bothered about. 00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:43.039 Um so and I've been noticing less so from musical theatre recently that it's been hasn't filled me with that excitement the way it that it used to. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:45.599 Um so I'm I'm I'm listening to that. 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:53.920 Stunt stunt work is something that's I've really noticed recently has been has really been lighting that fire underneath me. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.359 I watched it. 00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:56.559 I was gonna ask you about this. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.200 Yeah. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:03.279 Um first of all, the kind of performing that I love I love commercial dance, I love hip-hop. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:08.799 Um that dancing that is like the most enjoyment I get of dancing any kind of style. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:14.400 Um, so that's a an avenue that I would love love to pursue more, um, along with stunt work. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:17.279 I love throwing myself around, I always have. 00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:25.680 Um ever since I was a kid, I'd be like out on the trampoline or in the garden, um, just just learning tricks and like falling. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:28.960 And I think that's something that people don't often know how to fall well. 00:26:29.119 --> 00:26:35.359 And it's difficult to learn, it takes time, and for your body to also

just become quite resilient to taking falls well. 00:26:35.440 --> 00:26:50.240 Um, but I think that's something that I've accidentally through years of throwing myself around, learning tricks, going to gymnastics, um, uh trampolining, all that kind of stuff, doing sports that my body has been preparing for without realizing my entire life. 00:26:50.400 --> 00:27:07.599 And there's something really satisfying that just makes my adrenaline go up every time that I do a fall um that I know is safe, that I know that I can do well, or even just a trick or anything, uh, or a fight sequence, and everyone reacts like, oh, that must have hurt. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:16.640 When I know probably doesn't tickle, but like I know that it doesn't hurt the way they think it does, but I've been able to sell that experience to them and make it convincing. 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:28.160 And that every time I watch a film, I'm no longer watching it through the lens of just people having people, you know, fighting in like a fight sequence where there's a superhero or whatever it is. 00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:32.079 I'm I'm looking at everything they're doing because I'm I'm training for that, you know. 00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:43.200 I'm I'm I'm going to classes to to learn these specific um techniques, and so I see what they're doing, and I'm like, oh, I want to do that, and that's where the excitement has started to settle in for me. 00:27:43.279 --> 00:27:50.640 So there's like I'll always be a performer, I'll always be um a dancer, and I'll always want to keep pursuing that. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.240 I'm never gonna put that to the side. 00:27:52.400 --> 00:28:03.200 Um also never say never with anything, but I think more commercial dance, hip-hop, um, stunt work, and maybe more the acting route as well. 00:28:03.279 --> 00:28:07.599 I think those are the kind of the areas that, at least right now, you know, everything changes, you know, time goes on. 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:11.039 But those are the things that are kind of lighting my fire at the moment for sure. 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:12.559 Okay, yeah, lovely. 00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:13.440 Thank you for sharing that. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:13.839 Thank you. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:16.400 Right, so the next part we've been on this side of it. 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:20.559 The next part of the podcast is if you don't mind reaching underneath your chair. 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:21.680 Oh, we're not doing drawings. 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:23.519 Yeah, I still want a drawing, thank you. 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:29.039 You guys must be like so annoyed with not being at a seat. 00:28:29.200 --> 00:28:32.480 Because it usually it switches between the cameras, but right now it's literally just me. 00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:35.440 Um but hey, it's not because I didn't want a face on it. 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.640 She just didn't want to. 00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:37.599 Yeah, not right now. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.559 Nobody come

for me. 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.559 I've got to prepare myself for that kind of thing. 00:28:40.640 --> 00:28:42.240 It's all about you today, all about you. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:47.359 So if you don't mind, please reaching over and picking something from that beautiful cup right there. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:50.319 You're a natural natural podcast host. 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:51.839 Thank you, thank you. 00:28:53.200 --> 00:28:53.839 There we go. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.720 Take it everyone. 00:28:59.119 --> 00:29:01.359 A river winding through a town. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:03.200 Right, right. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:04.079 Okay. 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.920 Good luck with that one. 00:29:06.160 --> 00:29:08.160 Oh, you know, I'm not doing it. 00:29:08.400 --> 00:29:10.640 Hey, when I'm hosting, I I I do it as well. 00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:12.640 There's no need, there's no need. 00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:15.440 Um, they can see my beautiful artwork on my nail page. 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:15.759 Yeah. 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:17.759 That's very true. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:19.519 You know, you know what I'm actually learning? 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:27.119 What if, because you know, on every podcast I've done, every episode, my drawing tends to come out a little bit better. 00:29:27.680 --> 00:29:29.680 I wonder whether it's not that I'm better at drawing. 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:31.440 Maybe because I'm not having to speak. 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:40.000 So maybe if I can't do a good job here, yeah, then maybe it's actually I've just got an advantage in all the other ones, and we find out that I'm actually terrible at it. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.920 You have got an advantage, yes, yeah. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:43.279 Quite interesting. 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:45.359 Suddenly I don't really want to do it anymore. 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:46.319 Let's see how you do. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:46.799 Yeah. 00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:49.279 Well also, what river goes through through a town? 00:29:49.519 --> 00:29:50.400 Wasn't it you that wrote? 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:51.039 Yeah, I did. 00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:51.359 Yeah. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:55.759 I mean, ChatGPT helps, but a river winding through a town. 00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:58.079 Um, can't wait to see what you come up with. 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:01.359 Yeah, but while you do that, obviously I'm gonna be asking you questions. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.599 So, here we go. 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:09.599 So, in terms of the podcast, obviously you've done quite a few episodes now. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:16.960 Um, I guess one of the questions that I want to ask is what conversations have stayed with you um from the previous ones that you've done? 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:24.799 I think the things that resonate me with me the most are um these look like fish. 00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:25.759 Why am I doing this? 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:32.720 Um the ones where they're heavy stories that I really wasn't expecting. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:42.079 So we had uh Juan on I think he was like the third episode, um, and there's a lot that he shared with me that I just I had no idea about him. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:51.200 Um and so it's when it's a a much deeper connection to that person though, I'd than I was ever expecting. 00:30:51.359 --> 00:30:56.720 Um when they have stories that I was that I didn't know about them because I only knew them on a surface level. 00:30:56.799 --> 00:31:02.319 So it's not for just for people at home, it's the fact that I don't necessarily know them as well um as I could as well. 00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:06.079 So I'm learning just as much as you are about them in them in the moment. 00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:16.240 Um so I'd say when it's deeper things, I know about um Liam and OP were both um both adopted and that was that was beautiful to learn about as well. 00:31:16.319 --> 00:31:33.440 So it's one of the things I think the things that stay with me more so than than you know what's your favourite colour are the the questions that I ask that really dive into the unusual history that's very unique to each person um that not everybody can relate to, you know. 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.640 So I'd say that. 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:35.279 Okay. 00:31:35.759 --> 00:31:36.079 All right. 00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:39.759 I wrote three lines in that um all right. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:40.960 So next question. 00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:48.160 Um our industry is quite a tough one when it comes to like social life as well as like family life and stuff like that. 00:31:48.319 --> 00:31:53.200 Um, do you find it easy trying to maintain um a balance between obviously visiting family? 00:31:53.440 --> 00:32:00.400 Because um I don't know if anyone else out there knows this, but you not being from London um and you coming from the countryside. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.559 What do you mean I don't sound like I'm from London? 00:32:03.759 --> 00:32:12.400 I mean I think the the viewers would be able to maybe put in the comment section if you do or not, but from my opinion, maybe maybe not quite that. 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:17.119 Uh but yeah, in terms of just being able to keep that balance, like do you find it easy? 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:18.400 Is it something that you struggle with? 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:24.880 Uh I think that I it could be uh it could definitely be a lot better than it is. 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:31.279 You know, uh within theatre, obviously it's it's usually it's one uh one day off a week. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:40.640 You've got eight shows, which means you've literally got your Sunday, most of the time it's a Sunday, to spend with friends, to see family, whatever it is. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:43.039 Um, and it's not it's not much at all. 00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:52.640 So I am fairly limited, just like everyone is with the free time that I have to uh to spend with family or friends. 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:59.039 Um and yeah,

it does make it it does make it more difficult than than I would like. 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:06.319 Um But there's been you know there's blessings in in the midst sometimes, like even with being injured right now. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:09.039 Um it means I do have a little bit more time to spend with friends. 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:11.759 I got to go up north and see my parents for a little bit longer. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:17.920 Um I've got my my sisters getting married in in a few weeks, uh two weeks, I think. 00:33:18.160 --> 00:33:20.880 Um so I get to go up to Liverpool and watch that. 00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:28.720 And those are those are love really lovely events that I wouldn't usually be around to be able to enjoy, especially Christmases. 00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:34.079 Even Christmases are really hard because you know I'm either sometimes I'm not even in the country. 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:42.079 I don't think we've had I think we've had probably in the last 10 years had one Christmas where me and my brother and my sister have all been home for Christmas. 00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:45.839 Usually one of us, most of the time, me, are away. 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:51.759 Um which is which is a real shame because Christmas Day is actually one of my favourite times of the year to be with family. 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:55.279 Um so yeah, it definitely could be could be better. 00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:58.480 Um I think sometimes it's down to me as well. 00:33:58.559 --> 00:34:06.240 I don't think it's just always industry, but I do think the industry has a big say in how much time I have to spend with people. 00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:07.200 Can I use your pen? 00:34:07.279 --> 00:34:08.320 This is dying. 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:10.719 Yeah, I'm definitely slower now. 00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:12.800 I'm answering the questions, that's for sure. 00:34:13.280 --> 00:34:14.000 Thank you. 00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.920 There you go. 00:34:18.000 --> 00:34:19.599 No, I'm trying to have a little glimpse. 00:34:19.679 --> 00:34:20.480 I'm not really seeing much of this. 00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.079 I'm not gonna give it, I'm not gonna give the glimpse. 00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:22.320 Come on. 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.039 I'm not really going to do that. 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:28.880 So I see if I'm actually got the talent behind it or I'm just uh blagging it every day. 00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.000 Right. 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:31.039 Interesting. 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:32.239 Okay, fair enough. 00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:34.559 So do you feel like so? 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:41.119 Obviously, you said that you do like touring and stuff like that, and travelling and all those kind of um amazing stuff. 00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:54.880 But in terms of all of that, what do you think when you are touring is something that a lot of people out there don't necessarily know about and um things that you have experienced that you wouldn't have necessarily thought you would have

experienced while touring? 00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:58.880 Say that again. 00:35:01.039 --> 00:35:10.960 So when you're touring and stuff like that, there's certain things that pop up that you don't necessarily think about when you are just doing a normal nine to five kind of job and stuff like that, yeah. 00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:13.119 Um or even just doing West End. 00:35:13.280 --> 00:35:16.480 Uh so what kind of things do you feel like those are? 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:18.239 I mean, there's I mean, there's so many. 00:35:18.320 --> 00:35:22.800 I think just in theatre in general, there's a lot of ways that people don't understand the industry. 00:35:23.039 --> 00:35:31.519 Um but specifically with touring, I'd say it's for example, the the accommodation is a huge, huge part of that. 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:41.360 People have no idea how difficult it is to be in one often, I mean it's not always the case, but in the tours that I've done, it's often weekly touring. 00:35:41.679 --> 00:35:49.599 So you're in a new city or new town every other week that's usually halfway up the country from the last place that you were, and you've got one day to get there. 00:35:49.760 --> 00:35:52.800 Um, and that is also your day off to relax as well. 00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:55.519 Um, you have to organise it yourself. 00:35:55.840 --> 00:36:04.800 Um, you get money towards your accommodation, but you have to sort it all yourself, especially when college doesn't teach you about it, it makes it extra difficult. 00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:16.639 Because, for example, the first tour, I think I was saying with hope on a previous podcast that that I didn't know how it worked, so I was ended ended up staying and nobody told me, nobody taught me. 00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:27.760 So I ended up staying in some really awful places and really uncomfortable um scenarios, and a tour is only as good as the accommodation, that's what I found. 00:36:27.920 --> 00:36:32.960 Um, at this point it's fine because I'm I've experienced enough tours that I'm like I can be way ahead of the game. 00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:38.880 I've I could get my tour digs booked like a year in advance, like be on it so I can get the best places. 00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:42.880 But if you're left left, leave it to the last minute, all the good places are gone. 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:46.880 Um, and people don't help you unless you ask. 00:36:46.960 --> 00:36:51.519 But if you don't know what you're asking for, I think touring is a very mixed bag. 00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:54.719 Um, people don't realise how difficult it is to do. 00:36:54.800 --> 00:37:00.639 Um, especially that's UK touring, international touring, they do sort your accommodation for you and travel, fortunately. 00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:08.400 Um I think another part of that is what else is difficult? 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:14.320 Um yeah, well living out of a suitcase. 00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:23.199 Living out of a suitcase is is something I've gotten very

used to and adapted to to a point where I almost enjoy it, which is kind of crazy to say. 00:37:23.280 --> 00:37:29.280 Um, especially having been in London London for a year, I'm like, oh kind of I'm ready to kind of get back out on the road a little bit. 00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:44.960 But um yeah, I would say people don't r fully understand what it feels like to constantly live out of a suitcase um and not have all your stuff with you and be reusing the same items week in, week out. 00:37:45.119 --> 00:37:50.719 Um although I am kind of itching to do that again, which is a problem. 00:37:50.880 --> 00:38:05.039 Um, hence why I've I've created this big tour this big trip that I'm gonna do next year where I'll actually only be living out of a backpack for a year, which is crazy, but actually it kind of excites me because I'm gonna sucker for pain, whatever. 00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:07.440 Yeah, this is harder to do for sure. 00:38:07.519 --> 00:38:08.719 Like I can see you struggling. 00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:10.079 I can see you struggling. 00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:11.679 Not so not so smug now, eh? 00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:13.760 Hey, well, wait till you see it, might be great. 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:14.079 I don't know. 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:16.239 Might um probably won't be. 00:38:16.400 --> 00:38:16.559 Okay. 00:38:16.880 --> 00:38:18.960 Alright, so another question. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:25.119 What kind of legacy would you want to leave in the theatre or entertainment kind of world? 00:38:26.880 --> 00:38:29.599 I'd I'm not I'm not fussed about a legacy. 00:38:29.840 --> 00:38:35.599 Um like I guess legacy being what you're remembered for, is that what you kind of mean? 00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.159 Yeah. 00:38:36.400 --> 00:38:39.840 Um legacy is a strong word. 00:38:39.920 --> 00:38:42.000 Like, I don't mind making sounds bad. 00:38:42.079 --> 00:38:43.519 I don't mind not making a difference. 00:38:43.679 --> 00:38:44.639 Does that make sense? 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:48.000 Like, I'm not here for like glory and fame or whatever it is. 00:38:49.920 --> 00:38:53.920 I I value my privacy, I value enjoying my time to myself. 00:38:54.159 --> 00:38:56.800 Um I don't want that to be ruined. 00:38:56.880 --> 00:39:01.360 I think more I just want stability, I want enjoyment and I want peace. 00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:07.599 Um and so yeah, it's nice if people remember like, oh, I watched you in that, and that was like really, really great. 00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:09.440 Like it's it's lovely to have that. 00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:12.800 Um, but honestly, I kind of just want to do a little bit of everything. 00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:20.800 By the time I finish my career, I want to have have done everything that I wanted to do and be really proud of what I've done. 00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:30.159 Um that's kind of more my more my goal than I need to be known for being this person of doing this, or like to be remembered for like it doesn't really bother me, you know. 00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:32.800 We're all gonna die, you know, we're all temporary, yeah. 00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:36.000 We're all only on this earth for a little bit, so it doesn't matter. 00:39:36.159 --> 00:39:44.960 Um as long as I'm like if I sacrifice everything just to be known, then like I'm not actually enjoying my life anyway. 00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:51.280 So yeah, I'd much rather I'd much rather just do things that make me happy. 00:39:51.519 --> 00:39:55.119 Um and not this is hard. 00:39:56.320 --> 00:39:58.480 I mean, this is so easy, yeah, yeah. 00:39:59.280 --> 00:40:00.320 Yeah, it looks easy to do. 00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:02.559 To be fair, I'm not doing a bad job in fairness. 00:40:02.719 --> 00:40:04.480 Okay, that's just a bit slower than usual. 00:40:04.800 --> 00:40:05.519 Okay, alright. 00:40:05.599 --> 00:40:07.119 So do you do you need more questions? 00:40:07.280 --> 00:40:09.199 Do you think do you think you're yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:40:09.280 --> 00:40:10.159 I need I need another one. 00:40:10.239 --> 00:40:10.960 I'm not I'm not ready yet. 00:40:11.199 --> 00:40:13.679 So, how about we um we say maybe one more question? 00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:16.079 See how much you can get done in that in that bit of time. 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:16.559 Mm-hmm. 00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:17.679 Make it an easy one, thank you. 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:18.880 An easy one. 00:40:19.360 --> 00:40:22.400 Yeah, yeah, because I've I'm not nearly done yet, so okay. 00:40:22.480 --> 00:40:23.280 Alright, fair enough. 00:40:23.440 --> 00:40:24.400 Let's do it then. 00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:29.679 Um alright, so you did bring up the fact of stunt work um and stuff like that. 00:40:30.320 --> 00:40:37.199 In terms of what you're doing in Hercules as we speak, is there a way that you're able to kind of bring that? 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:38.639 You know there is. 00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.639 You know there is. 00:40:40.880 --> 00:40:45.440 Um, yeah, so I play so as I said, I play Zeus in Hercules. 00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:51.360 Um and I'm a little bit of a what is it, a glutton for pain? 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:51.679 No. 00:40:51.760 --> 00:41:02.320 Is that I've I've got a little bit of a habit of going being a bit extra and going out and giving my best and probably more than is actually necessary to give on certain things. 00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:06.480 Um probably to a point where it actually doesn't benefit my my body. 00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:20.480 Um, but when I was because it was kind of like it was a new musical um when we were in rehearsals, um, there's a fight, there's a fight scene at the end um where Hades becomes a giant monster and starts spoiler alert. 00:41:20.639 --> 00:41:22.480 Uh if you haven't seen the film, that's not my fault. 00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:31.519 Um and starts, you know, killing all the all the people like fighting all the uh the Olympus gods and the and the the villagers from Thebes and stuff. 00:41:31.760 -->

00:41:39.280 Um and he has a fight with Hercules and Zeus at the beginning of that before all the villagers get involved. 00:41:39.440 --> 00:41:44.480 And you know, I think the it was always just uh you know get hit by the hand and like fall. 00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:51.760 But I was like, well, I'm literally training for a career to make this look good and to make this look um believable. 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:54.880 So I was like, let me let me give everything that I can to it. 00:41:54.960 --> 00:42:14.800 So I will I'll end up doing like flips and landing on my back, or um again going for that reaction and the audience of ooh, and like throwing myself hard like into a pillar and then like hitting the floor and stuff like that, just because I wanted to, you know, still incorporate the things that I really enjoy into the job I'm currently doing, even though it's not technically what's being asked of me. 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:17.440 Um so yeah, I definitely do that a lot. 00:42:17.599 --> 00:42:20.800 Um gives me bruises, but I don't I don't regret it. 00:42:20.880 --> 00:42:22.400 I think it's I I love doing that. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:26.960 Then there's um I guess I try and incorporate different things. 00:42:27.039 --> 00:42:40.400 Obviously, that the boot the booming voice of Zeus, I was like, I need to uh create that, and so what I did with that was I I used to beatbox uh because I was a drummer when I grew up, so beatboxing kind of went alongside that um and that kind of rhythm. 00:42:40.559 --> 00:42:48.800 Um so I decided to use like the growl that I would have from the from the beatboxing um to add it to the voice of Zeus. 00:42:48.880 --> 00:43:18.079 So like on some of the some of his like angry kind of lines or where he'd be like shouting at Hades or whatever it is, I would put that like the deep vocal growl underneath to make it like hit more rather than just shouting, especially when you've got like a 2000-something seat theatre to fill, even with a mic on, you need it to s to go over that battle cry, over that um the the sound and the the how loud everything is of the battle. 00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:20.000 You need it to like stand out. 00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:27.199 So rather than just shouting, uh I don't think I have like a particularly high-pitched voice anyway, but I don't want it to sound just like a guy. 00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:34.800 I wanted to sound it like you know he's a he controls the the lightning and thunder, and almost like that thunder is in his voice as well. 00:43:34.880 --> 00:43:36.239 So that's kind of where I went with that. 00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:41.599 And I felt that my beatboxing kind of past had a lot of help to do with that. 00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:43.840 So I feel like I've brought a lot to the character of Zeus. 00:43:43.920 --> 00:43:48.320 It wasn't necessarily asked of me, but that I to make it my own, you know. 00:43:48.400 --> 00:43:49.760 I feel like I've done that quite well. 00:43:50.000 -->

00:43:50.320 Okay. 00:43:50.800 --> 00:43:51.199 All right. 00:43:51.280 --> 00:43:53.519 Well, I feel like that I didn't do anything on it. 00:43:53.679 --> 00:43:54.079 What's it? 00:43:54.480 --> 00:43:56.480 I just feel like that's enough questions, no? 00:43:56.639 --> 00:43:59.760 I feel like it may be time for you to to show us what. 00:44:00.559 --> 00:44:01.119 Wow, the ending. 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:03.440 I didn't do anything on that last question. 00:44:03.679 --> 00:44:04.079 You didn't? 00:44:04.320 --> 00:44:04.639 I didn't. 00:44:04.800 --> 00:44:05.519 No, did I? 00:44:05.679 --> 00:44:05.840 No. 00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:08.480 Well I think it's I think it's time. 00:44:08.559 --> 00:44:12.800 I think we'd love to see and have a lovely reveal if you don't mind. 00:44:13.920 --> 00:44:17.519 Oh, the ending was Okay, yeah, this is not as good as my other ones. 00:44:17.679 --> 00:44:19.599 Um I should have done. 00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:21.519 Too late. 00:44:22.000 --> 00:44:22.239 Okay. 00:44:22.400 --> 00:44:23.760 This is what I came up with. 00:44:24.079 --> 00:44:24.320 Okay. 00:44:24.639 --> 00:44:26.800 Um, yeah, it's not as I didn't have time. 00:44:27.119 --> 00:44:28.800 So I kind of ended here. 00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:32.159 Um, and then you were like, okay, now let's try. 00:44:32.239 --> 00:44:36.079 And like I just added this bit, and you can tell this is the rush and this is the rest of it. 00:44:36.159 --> 00:44:39.679 Um I would have liked to because I was like, what river runs through a town? 00:44:39.760 --> 00:44:41.199 Like, unless you're in like Amsterdam or something. 00:44:41.360 --> 00:44:41.679 I don't know. 00:44:41.840 --> 00:44:42.960 Um, necessarily thinking about this. 00:44:43.199 --> 00:44:46.079 But yeah, so I've got some houses and then the river. 00:44:46.400 --> 00:44:46.880 It's not bad. 00:44:47.119 --> 00:44:49.760 Like the walkway, and then it's not bad. 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:52.880 I think I would have liked to had it going off into the distance and some hills. 00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:53.360 Is that bad? 00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:55.440 Um, greenery that I'm seeing that. 00:44:55.679 --> 00:44:59.119 Yes, little bits of grass, because I wanted you to know that that's grass and not just nothing. 00:44:59.440 --> 00:44:59.679 Nothing. 00:45:00.079 --> 00:45:00.239 Yeah. 00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:01.199 So it could be better. 00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:04.960 I'm not going to take a picture with myself with this because I don't think that's necessary. 00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:06.719 Um, but yeah, there you go. 00:45:06.960 --> 00:45:11.039 I guess it's interesting in that position for you to actually experience, isn't it? 00:45:11.280 --> 00:45:12.960 It's uh I don't like it. 00:45:13.599 --> 00:45:15.599 It's not it's not my best work. 00:45:15.679 --> 00:45:20.800 Um, and so we figured out that actually if you have more brain capacity, it uh you can do a better job. 00:45:20.960 --> 00:45:21.199 Yeah. 00:45:21.360 --> 00:45:21.840 So yeah. 00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.679 Oh well done, that one well done. 00:45:23.760 --> 00:45:24.320 Thank you for doing that. 00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:25.199 You're very welcome. 00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:32.480 Um, in terms of the next thing that we want to ask, it's I feel like we should really I hope you're being heard by this. 00:45:32.880 --> 00:45:33.119 Oh, sorry. 00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:36.159 You can just see this is just not natural for me, isn't it? 00:45:36.480 --> 00:45:38.320 This is a very thrown together episode, isn't it? 00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:39.199 If you can tell. 00:45:39.599 --> 00:45:40.239 Very much so. 00:45:40.400 --> 00:45:42.719 Um did want to do some fire questions with you. 00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:47.119 All right, but they are gonna have to just come from the top of my head because I don't actually have any information. 00:45:47.280 --> 00:45:49.199 So it's more quick fire for you than it is quick fire for me. 00:45:49.440 --> 00:45:49.840 Pretty much, yeah. 00:45:49.920 --> 00:45:52.079 So we're testing me right now, I guess. 00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:53.679 Um which wasn't the point of this. 00:45:53.840 --> 00:45:54.320 No, it wasn't. 00:45:54.639 --> 00:45:56.239 So uh enjoy that, everyone. 00:45:56.480 --> 00:45:56.719 Hit me. 00:45:56.800 --> 00:45:57.039 I'm ready. 00:45:57.920 --> 00:46:00.159 All right, do you prefer the hot or cold? 00:46:00.559 --> 00:46:04.320 I prefer I prefer the hot, but I'm much better with the cold. 00:46:04.400 --> 00:46:05.199 I sweat a lot. 00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:09.760 I can be out in a t-shirt in like snow, it would doesn't bother me. 00:46:09.920 --> 00:46:15.039 Um so I'm my body is better and more suited to cold, but I prefer the hot weather because who doesn't? 00:46:15.119 --> 00:46:16.000 That's just a normal thing. 00:46:16.079 --> 00:46:17.199 It's nice, the sun's good. 00:46:17.760 --> 00:46:20.159 Are you more of a morning person or are you? 00:46:21.039 --> 00:46:23.199 No, I'm in uh I'm a night owl. 00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:26.639 Like I'll go I'll go to bed late and I'll I'll I'll wake up very late as well. 00:46:26.719 --> 00:46:28.320 Yeah, I hate being up early in the morning. 00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:29.039 Fair enough. 00:46:29.119 --> 00:46:31.760 All right, do you prefer more hot food or sweet food? 00:46:32.079 --> 00:46:32.719 Sweet food. 00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:33.199 Sweet. 00:46:33.280 --> 00:46:34.880 Oh hot as in spicy. 00:46:34.960 --> 00:46:35.039 Yeah. 00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:36.639 I mean I like spicy food, but definitely sweet. 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:38.159 Can you handle spicy food? 00:46:38.400 --> 00:46:39.760 I can a lot better than I used to. 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:43.440 Probably my tolerance has gone down a little bit now, but I'm not having it as much. 00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:44.639 But I do I do like it. 00:46:44.719 --> 00:46:45.599 I can handle it quite well. 00:46:45.679 --> 00:46:46.480 I just sweat a lot.

00:46:46.719 --> 00:46:46.960 Okay. 00:46:47.360 --> 00:46:49.440 Um, night in or night out? 00:46:49.920 --> 00:46:50.480 Night in. 00:46:50.559 --> 00:46:54.639 I'm night outs are very rare, probably like once a month or maybe even that and that. 00:46:54.800 --> 00:46:57.599 But a night night in, like just watching films, love it. 00:46:57.760 --> 00:46:58.719 Yeah, that's my okay. 00:46:59.039 --> 00:46:59.360 That's my bag. 00:46:59.679 --> 00:47:04.719 Do you prefer to stay in hotel kind of setting or more camping? 00:47:04.960 --> 00:47:05.760 Oh, both. 00:47:05.840 --> 00:47:06.719 It def depends. 00:47:06.800 --> 00:47:12.239 Like I'm very I used to go camping all the time when I was uh when I was a kid, my parents used to take me camping. 00:47:12.480 --> 00:47:20.239 Um so I very much and that that that kind of backpacker style, I'm very used to it and very comfortable in it, and very good at just adapting to environments. 00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:23.519 So I actually do love camping, but also I'm quite bougie. 00:47:23.599 --> 00:47:27.039 So I like I do like I do like a nice hotel as well, of course. 00:47:27.199 --> 00:47:31.840 So it depends on the it depends on the environment or what what's going on. 00:47:31.920 --> 00:47:42.800 I'd say probably more often than not, um, the the hotel, but I think it's very you get a coziness from camping that you just can't replicate with the hotel. 00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:47.840 Okay, do you feel weird looking at the camera whilst not completely ignoring or not even acknowledging you. 00:47:48.159 --> 00:47:48.559 I'm not here. 00:47:48.800 --> 00:47:49.199 I'm not used to this. 00:47:49.519 --> 00:47:50.480 I'm not here, I'm just a voice. 00:47:50.559 --> 00:47:51.280 I'm just a voice. 00:47:51.599 --> 00:47:56.239 Um Do you prefer the country life or the like London life? 00:47:56.800 --> 00:47:59.360 Uh London life because I like to be close to the action. 00:47:59.519 --> 00:48:10.639 I don't like being far away from like career and progression and like I like a routine, I like a schedule, I like to be organized, and I find that difficult to do in the country because it's not a lot to do. 00:48:10.880 --> 00:48:17.760 Although I do really like going to the country to get to get away, to breathe into proper air, because I love I love a view. 00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:28.639 It's why I love travelling, I love to see, I love to go up to a high point and just like take in the sights and just be really appreciative and make the most of like of the of of nature, you know. 00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:29.519 I love that. 00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:30.239 Yeah, okay. 00:48:30.400 --> 00:48:32.480 And you don't get that in London much, unless you're in a park. 00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:33.440 Yeah, not at all. 00:48:33.679 --> 00:48:35.760 Um silver or gold jewellery. 00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:36.320 Silver. 00:48:36.960 --> 00:48:37.440 Hands down. 00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:38.719 I thought that was gonna be the answer as

well. 00:48:38.800 --> 00:48:39.280 I just thought maybe. 00:48:39.599 --> 00:48:41.119 I think I can pull off gold too much. 00:48:42.000 --> 00:48:43.039 More more plain. 00:48:43.280 --> 00:48:43.840 Fair enough. 00:48:44.480 --> 00:48:46.960 Well, I think I think that's all I can really come up with. 00:48:47.360 --> 00:48:49.119 I have rambled for a good amount of time. 00:48:49.760 --> 00:48:51.119 Um I don't know how much we're gonna have to. 00:48:51.360 --> 00:48:52.000 There's one more thing. 00:48:52.079 --> 00:48:54.000 Oh embarrassing, embarrassing moment. 00:48:54.079 --> 00:48:54.480 You always do this. 00:48:54.960 --> 00:48:55.920 Oh, I do, I do. 00:48:56.079 --> 00:49:00.480 I mean, I've had oh, you know me, most of my moments are embarrassing. 00:49:00.559 --> 00:49:02.079 Or usually I'll embarrass someone else. 00:49:02.159 --> 00:49:03.679 That's kind of my my thing. 00:49:03.920 --> 00:49:08.000 Um I think for an audition though, I did have oh, there was one in the show. 00:49:08.079 --> 00:49:09.280 I was in Dubai. 00:49:09.519 --> 00:49:12.719 I was in Dubai circa 20 something. 00:49:12.960 --> 00:49:20.159 Um yeah, it was I was doing um I was doing Chicago at the massive theatre right by the Burge, Burj Khalifa. 00:49:20.639 --> 00:49:23.920 Um, and I completely forgot my line. 00:49:24.000 --> 00:49:26.480 Basically, I played Fred Casely. 00:49:26.800 --> 00:49:33.760 I come on in the courtroom scene in the second act, um, and I go up to the girl playing Roxy. 00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:38.800 Um, and it's all very like it's on beats, it's very heavily like linked with the band. 00:49:38.960 --> 00:49:40.639 So it's like bam, bam, what do you say? 00:49:40.719 --> 00:49:44.159 You say like if you miss a beat, then like the whole thing kind of goes off. 00:49:44.320 --> 00:49:46.639 It's almost like kind of like a dance, like a rhythm. 00:49:46.880 --> 00:49:53.360 Um so I I come on for my bit, and I'm supposed to go, I can't live without you, I can't live without you, I can't live without you. 00:49:53.519 --> 00:50:01.599 At the same time, she's in a chair, um, and she does these little like bunny hop jumps out of the chair as I do that, uh, and then I walk off stage again. 00:50:01.840 --> 00:50:08.719 I then have a I come on later and I say I say a line, um, it doesn't matter, you're mine, you're mine, you're mine, and I mind slapping her, right? 00:50:08.880 --> 00:50:15.360 I'd got the lines confused because there's like can't live without you say three times, and you're mine, you say three times. 00:50:15.599 --> 00:50:24.559 Um, so I came on, obviously wasn't quite thinking about it properly, grabbed her hand, did the bunny hops, but said, It doesn't matter, which is the start of my line for the next scene. 00:50:24.719 --> 00:50:28.719 Um, but then obviously knew that I'd said it wrong and didn't want to say it again. 00:50:28.960 --> 00:50:39.599 So the first jump, I said, It doesn't matter, and then she just did two jumps in complete silence, and everyone just went and like tried to like they were like holding back tears. 00:50:39.840 --> 00:50:43.199 Um, the audience, very obvious, it wasn't one thing that you could like cover up. 00:50:43.280 --> 00:50:45.519 The whole audience was like, Something's happened here. 00:50:45.679 --> 00:50:49.440 So instead of being like, Yeah, yeah, what do I go on and say? 00:50:49.760 --> 00:50:52.480 Um, I can't live with that, I can't load it, I can't just load it. 00:50:52.800 --> 00:50:53.440 And then walk off. 00:50:53.519 --> 00:50:55.679 I just went, it doesn't matter. 00:50:56.719 --> 00:51:08.320 And then like literally like sulks off stage, and everyone was like, and because everyone stood like on the bandstand, just looking up front, trying not to try not to laugh or make any expression. 00:51:08.559 --> 00:51:09.760 That was very embarrassing. 00:51:09.920 --> 00:51:16.320 Then I had to come on and then do the actual scene that starts with it doesn't matter, just to prove to the audience, yeah, I wasn't supposed to do that. 00:51:16.400 --> 00:51:18.880 Now you know it's definitely very embarrassing. 00:51:19.039 --> 00:51:24.559 Um other than that, it would have been my first ever audition where I just landed flat on my face when we went in threes. 00:51:24.719 --> 00:51:26.000 Oh uh didn't get the job. 00:51:26.159 --> 00:51:27.039 I was gonna ask if you did. 00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:27.519 No, okay. 00:51:27.760 --> 00:51:28.159 No, I didn't. 00:51:28.400 --> 00:51:29.199 So those were the two. 00:51:29.280 --> 00:51:30.559 Uh two pretty embarrassing. 00:51:30.800 --> 00:51:32.079 There's probably many, but those are the two. 00:51:32.400 --> 00:51:35.920 To be fair, it was meant to be one, so I appreciate you you giving us two. 00:51:36.239 --> 00:51:40.320 Hey, when you I've done this a few times now, so I've had to think just in case I'm ever asked. 00:51:40.480 --> 00:51:41.280 What about yours? 00:51:41.440 --> 00:51:42.480 And there's something in the tank. 00:51:42.559 --> 00:51:42.719 Yeah. 00:51:43.440 --> 00:51:43.599 Yeah. 00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:47.679 All right, so if you don't mind closing off this that I can do. 00:51:47.840 --> 00:51:55.039 Thank you guys uh for watching this very impromptu episode of In Plain Clothes, getting to know me a little bit better. 00:51:55.119 --> 00:51:58.480 Uh I wasn't planning to do this today, but I think it's quite nice. 00:51:58.559 --> 00:52:04.880 You know, it's nice to actually talk a little bit about myself when it's um, you know, when I'm the host, I don't get to do that a huge amount. 00:52:04.960 --> 00:52:05.519 So it's nice. 00:52:05.599 --> 00:52:09.840 And I hope you get you guys have enjoyed lit learning a little bit more about my life and where I've come from. 00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:22.000 And also thank you to Piget, who you can't see um due to her instructions, um, for asking these questions and thank you to ChatGPT for helping coming up with some of the questions uh that you've asked me as well. 00:52:22.159 --> 00:52:29.039 Um, and I'm sure for the next one, Piget will be uh helping with the cameras again, and I'll have another guest on. 00:52:29.119 --> 00:52:32.239 So be sure to check this out on YouTube or Spotify. 00:52:32.320 --> 00:52:39.599 It is just a single camera frame uh for this one, but uh I appreciate you guys and let me know who you'd like me to get on in the next one as well. 00:52:39.840 --> 00:52:40.800 See you later.