Charlie Man-Evans has recently finished his run in Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre, performing as one of the Ensemble members, with music by Dave Malloy, having been asked to self tape by his agent at Byron’s Management (http://www.byronsmanagement.co.uk) for an undisclosed brand new musical. Last year, Charlie played Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh the Musical, and he made his professional stage debut playing Button in 101 Dalmatians at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. On screen, Charlie has worked on TV series Trying and the upcoming film Snow White. Catching up with Charlie, he talked to us about being cast in Roald Dahl’s The Witches at the National Theatre, playing Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh the Musical and making his professional stage debut in 101 Dalmatians.

How much did you know about Roald Dahl’s The Witches before auditioning and what drew you to the show?

I’ve read all the Roald Dahl books and The Witches was one of my favourites so I knew the story well. When my agent (at Byron’s Management) asked me to self tape, I only knew it was for a new show at the National Theatre and nothing else! I was really curious and when I found out it was The Witches I just knew I had to be a part of it!

What was it like performing at the National Theatre?

Working at the National Theatre was like a dream come true and I felt very privileged to be part of it. The stage in the Olivier Theatre is huge! With the revolving stage there’s technically so much to learn and remember and, as it’s a brand new musical, we had to learn and stage all the songs from scratch. I think it’ll be the biggest and grandest technical production I’ll ever work on!

How was it meeting the rest of the cast, including your fellow young Ensemble members, and had you worked with any of them previously?

Everyone in the cast is absolutely brilliant and so talented. We all get on so well together and it’s been like this from the very start. I have made lots of new friends. George Menezes Cutts and I were both Christopher Robins in Winnie the Pooh the Musical. We’ve also trained together for years (at NLPAC) so it was great to be doing another show together! My dance teacher also taught Sekhani Dumezweni in the show so I knew to say hi on the first day – we were in the same team and now really good friends!

There were so many of us – it was so much fun! There was always something going on. When not performing, there were lots of jokes and silliness. I have never had so many gifts from fellow cast members. They are all so generous and they put a lot of thought into the gifts too, they are all very special and memorable.

Can you tell us about the musical and how was it hearing Dave Malloy’s music for the first time?

The Witches musical is a smashing adaptation of the book and when I heard Dave Malloy’s music, I was absolutely stunned by how good it was. It is really true to the original story but also brings lots of humour – I especially like the Soup song! There is honestly something in it for everyone. My mum says there are plenty of jokes for the adults too!

You played Christopher Robin in Winnie the Pooh the Musical last year, what was the show like to be part of?

It was an amazing experience being Christopher Robin because I got to act with the puppets. It was really enjoyable.

Do you remember how you felt finding out you’d booked your role in Winnie the Pooh the Musical?

I was at London Zoo looking at the gorillas when I got the call from my agent at Byron’s. I was super happy! I fist pumped the air and excitedly said “yes, yes, yes!” over and over again. Think the gorillas must have thought I was a bit strange!

How was it performing at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 101 Dalmatians as Button?

It was my first role in musical theatre and, like The Witches, it was a brand new production. It was amazing to be working with Douglas Hodge, Toby Olié and such a fantastic team bringing the new show to life. I loved learning all the new songs. Some of the scenes were really challenging, like running through and jumping over skipping ropes, whilst singing and dancing…!!

What was it like making your professional stage debut in the show?

It was a bit nerve-racking but I just went out there and gave it my all!

How did you find the experience filming for Snow White and Trying?

Filming is a totally different experience to a live production with so much preparation going into each scene. For Snow White, I was blown away by the set and the costumes and I can’t wait to see it on the big screen. I filmed Trying a long time ago and every now and then someone says they spotted me which is always a pleasant surprise!

How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?

My mum signed me up for a summer camp at New London Performing Arts Centre (NLPAC) where we learnt songs and dance routines from The Greatest Showman and I was given a solo that closed the show. I loved the experience of singing and dancing. When we performed it in front of the parents and they gave us a standing ovation, I got such a buzz. I knew this was something I wanted to do!

Can you tell us about your training?

I go to New London Performing Arts Centre (NLPAC) where I train in tap, street dance, ballet and drama. I love playing the piano and am studying for Grade 5 at the moment. I have a wicked singing teacher and I’ve recently started to write my own songs.

Have you been given any advice over your time as an actor so far that has stuck with you?

Yes. The best piece of advice was always to show you’re feeling confident in auditions. Even when you just act like you’re confident you start to actually feel it. The moment I figured that out I started to get the roles.

What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch?

There are so many great shows but Hamilton is really special and watching it on stage in London was a real joy. I only wish there were children in the Hamilton cast! I was previously offered one of my dream roles but I couldn’t start because of other jobs. I’m really hoping to join the show next time – finally playing that part on stage would be amazing.

How do you like to spend your time away from acting?

In my spare time, I like playing table tennis with my friends.