Next month, Redmand Rance will start his role of Mike Costa in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve which starts its run on 3rd December, and he previously performed at the theatre at the end of 2019 in their production of West Side Story as Swing. Redmand was part of Hugh Jackman’s tour The Man. The Music. The Show. world tour which included dates at Madison Square Garden, and one of his early stage roles was in Billy Elliot the Musical in the West End playing the titled character of Billy Elliot. On screen, Redmand played regular character Vince in the CBBC series Hetty Feather across a number of years, and he was in the cast of the 2019 feature film Cats and has recently worked on the 2022 release of Walt Disney film Disenchanted. We caught up with Redmand about his upcoming role of Mike Costa in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve, touring with Hugh Jackman on The Man. The Music. The Show. and playing Vince in Hetty Feather.
Having been announced to play Mike Costa in A Chorus Line at Leicester Curve, what are you looking forward to most for starting in the show?
I’m really looking forward to performing my solo I Can Do That every night. I’m excited to dive deep into the character and hopefully come up with something impressive. Getting to perform this role every night for two months, really gives me the chance to get everything I can out of Mike. I am very grateful for the opportunity to do so.
Was there anything that drew you to the production and how is it being part of the cast?
A Chorus Line has always been one of my favourite musicals. I feel as though it has always resonated with me. I can really relate to the role in different ways, I think this is why it has always been a dream role of mine. I actually worked on the musical whilst in my second year at Performers College and I loved the process then. I am very excited to get started on the production.
What’s it like returning to theatre now shows can reopen and how do you think you’ll feel on opening night?
I think we can all agree it has been a very odd few years, but it means the world to me to get back doing what I love; even more so performing a show I love! I’m feeling very apprehensive because the show is very iconic and I want to do it justice. I’m always nervous on opening nights, if I wasn’t I’d be even more worried. If I’m honest, I think the nerves has somewhat helped me over the years to really give it my all.
You’ve previously worked at Leicester Curve as Swing in West Side Story, what was this like?
I learnt a lot being involved in West Side Story at the Curve as it was my first time as a Swing. It wasn’t easy to say the least, but I enjoyed the challenge. It was great to get the chance to watch the show every night as I was in awe of the whole cast.
How did you find the experience touring internationally with Hugh Jackman’s The Man. The Music. The Show. and what are some of your highlights from your time touring?
Touring with Hugh and the rest of the cast was an experience I will cherish forever! I had so much fun travelling the world and learning from such influential people. Performing at Madison Square Garden in New York would be one of the highlights. It was very surreal to have performed somewhere where so many icons also have.
One of your earlier theatre roles was playing Billy Elliot in the West End musical of Billy Elliot the Musical, what do you remember most from playing Billy?
Playing Billy really gave me the foundation I needed to pursue a career in this industry. It taught me a lot of what now I think is crucial. I loved the show before I played the role, so for me, it was a huge deal to get the chance to do it! I remember the feeling after my opening night, I felt exhilarated and very proud.
You booked your first screen role as Vince in Hetty Feather, what was it like working on a CBBC show and returning to film the final series?
I loved my time filming Hetty Feather, I featured in five of the series altogether. At the time it was a big part of my life. It was my first TV job, and after my first day on set I knew it was exactly what I wanted to keep doing. It was really cool to be a part of the final series, coming back altogether one last time was a great way to finish.
How much did you know about Cats before working on the film and how was it on set?
I didn’t know much about the musical, however, I did know the score pretty well. I love the music in Cats! I worked on the film for six months, it was a job that I’ll always remember. Being surrounded by huge names on set was crazy for me, it was my first job out of college so I couldn’t believe that I was there and had managed to book the job.
You’ve filmed for Walt Disney’s Disenchanted, how did you find the experience?
I’ve always wanted to work for Disney, so this in itself was a big achievement for me. I remember watching Enchanted as a kid and I thought the movie was great! Filming in Dublin made the whole experience even better, I loved the city. I look forward to seeing it on Disney+ next summer!
Where does your love of performing come from and how did you start?
As I kid, I would throw myself around at family parties in a way that would maybe somewhat look like dancing… I loved watching people like Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley. I just loved the way they entertained the whole crowd. I would copy them and try all their moves. Eventually my parents decided to put me into dance lessons. I guess the rest is history…
How do you like to spend your time away from your career?
When I am not working, I enjoy being home and spending time with my family. I love travelling and going to places I haven’t been before. It’s important to me to also do normal things and to relax when I can.
Do you have any favourite films, TV or theatre shows to watch?
One of my favourite films would be The Revenant, I thought Leonardo (DiCaprio) and Tom Hardy’s performance was just incredible. I also recently enjoyed watching Season 3 of Sex Education.
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