For Lochlan White’s adult theatre debut, he played Charley Bates / Ensemble in Oliver! (alongside Billy Jenkins as The Artful Dodger and Harry Cross as Dandy) at the Chichester Festival Theatre this summer, for which he was directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, and he will be making his West End debut at 18 when Oliver! transfers to the Gielgud Theatre in December. In 2019, Lochlan played Young Patrick in Mame and David in RAGS for the UK premiere of the revised version, both at the Hope Mill Theatre, and his further stage projects include playing Michael Hobbs in Elf the Musical, Rupert in Nativity! The Musical, and he made his professional debut as Toby in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. On screen, Lochlan played Bobby in the 2018 Christmas film Surviving Christmas with the Relatives, working with Sally Phillips, Patricia Hodge and Kitty Peterkin, with whom he attended the film’s premiere at Leicester Square, and he worked on feature films Holmes & Watson and Rocketman. Speaking with us, Lochlan told us about his time as Charley Bates / Ensemble in Oliver! at Chichester Festival Theatre, performing at Hope Mill Theatre in 2019 in Mame and RAGS and filming as Bobby in Surviving Christmas with the Relatives.
Over the summer, you were in the cast of Oliver! at Chichester Festival Theatre as Charley Bates / Ensemble, how was your time in Chichester?
I loved my time in Chichester! Getting to spend the summer on the south coast alongside our incredible cast was something I’ll never forget. Moreover, getting to spend each evening performing to such elated crowds was a feeling I can only describe as magical.
How was it finding out you’d booked the role and what was it like making your adult theatre debut with the production?
I found out I got the role through a surprise package my family gave me which contained a balloon with the words ‘Oliver! Cast 24-25’. We all cried and celebrated simultaneously whilst the reality hit that I was going to be making my adult debut in a few months. Getting to make my adult debut in a show like Oliver! was a complete full circle moment for me. This show was one of the first musicals I ever saw myself at nine years old, so to make my adult debut with the show was something I never would’ve imagined.
What is Oliver! like to be part of and was there anything that drew you to the show?
I was drawn to the show because Oliver! is a show that has been with me since I started doing musical theatre. One of my fondest childhood memories was getting to play Oliver in a music video for Stagebox; and ever since that day, I wanted nothing more than to be in the show. To now be a part of the show is truly magnificent, and getting to do it at 18 is nothing short of a dream come true.
How is it getting into character as Charley Bates and being directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne?
Becoming Charley Bates was a brilliant experience! Getting to workshop the character each day of rehearsals from the way he spoke, to the way he moved, to the slight nuances of the character was something I was really excited to work on. Having Matthew Bourne direct and choreograph the show is so much fun, getting to work with someone I studied for my GCSEs two years ago is another full circle moment for me. Matthew also allowed us to play and discover the characters without restraint, which is something I’ve never experienced before, but something I am so appreciative of.
Oliver! is heading to the West End’s Gielgud Theatre in December, what are you looking forward to for taking the show to London?
I’m most excited to bring the show to a new audience. The West End was something I’ve always dreamt and manifested about, so to be making my West End debut at 18 is a complete ‘pinch me’ moment and I still can’t believe it. I’m eternally grateful!
In 2019, you played Young Patrick in the UK revival of Mame at the Hope Mill Theatre, what did you enjoy most about performing in the production?
Mame truly is a one of a kind show. Getting to work with Nick Winston was incredible, and getting to perform My Best Girl with Tracie Bennett is something that I still cherish. One of my favourite things about the production was getting to perform the show in my hometown, and in a theatre I love so much. The intimacy of the Hope Mill Theatre is unlike anywhere else I have performed, it is an incredibly special space.
You also performed in RAGS in 2019 at the Hope Mill Theatre as David, what was David like to play and how was it working on the UK premiere of the revised version?
RAGS will always hold a special place in my heart. The story is so touching and the score is a masterpiece. Getting to perform in a show with lyrics written by the legendary Stephen Schwartz is something that meant so much to me then, and still so much to me now. David was one of my favourite yet hardest roles I’ve played to this date due to the highly emotional storytelling and devastating losses the character had to endure. However, that is what made this production so special and why I still have such warm memories of performing as David.
How did you find the experience touring as Michael Hobbs in Elf the Musical?
Getting to perform in Elf the Musical was a dream! Everybody loves Christmas, so getting to spend my Christmas period doing a musical adaptation of the film my mum made us watch every Christmas Eve was so special. It was my first time touring, so I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like. But getting to do the show with my twin sister by my side allowed me to have a piece of home with me at all times. I’m so thankful I got to be a part of that show, and I’m even more thankful I can reminisce on those memories alongside my twin sister.
What was it like playing Rupert in Nativity! The Musical and Toby in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for their UK Tours?
Nativity! The Musical was unlike anything I’d ever done before, I got to play Rupert and I performed an incredibly camp dance and song routine every night which always tickled the audience. Getting to make an audience laugh was almost foreign to me at this point, as most roles I’d played prior to this pulled at the heart-strings, so getting to play a comedic character was a new and exciting experience!
Making my professional debut in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as Toby was such a beautiful experience. Crawling out of a smoky door to a crowd of people in my hometown was the scariest thing I had ever done at ten years old. However, one thing I will never forget is seeing my family in the audience on my opening night during the bows. Whenever I feel a shred of doubt, I think back to that moment and how much it meant to me.
Can you tell us about performing as Grisha in The Cherry Orchard?
The Cherry Orchard was an incredibly unique experience for me. Playing Grisha was a learning experience for me. I had to learn how to tell a story without dialogue and solely with my body. I also had to learn how to play to a theatre in-the-round, which was something I hadn’t done until this production. The lessons I learnt from this show are things I still value and use to this day, and I don’t think I will ever forget.
On screen, you played Bobby in the 2018 Christmas film Surviving Christmas with the Relatives, what are some of your favourite memories from being on set?
Being a part of Surviving Christmas with the Relatives was beyond incredible! I specifically remember all the animals on set and how I was absolutely petrified anytime I was near Gobbles the Turkey. Another, less terrifying, memory I have from working on the film was getting to learn more about the film and TV industry. From the subtlety of close-ups, to ADR re-recordings post-shoot, my eyes were opened to a new world within the performing arts industry and I learnt so many valuable lessons from being on that set.
How was it working alongside the rest of the cast and what was it like attending the film premiere at Leicester Square?
The cast were a delight! Working alongside Sally Phillips and Patricia Hodge, who me and my twin sister had grown up watching in Miranda, was a dream come true! Additionally, I gained an on-screen sister and friend to this day in Kitty Peterkin, and I will always remember our Just Dance games whilst on set.
The premiere was something I had always dreamt about when the audition process began, but I never believed it could happen for me. Getting to travel to London to walk a red carpet for a film I was in was like living a fantasy I’d written in my head. It is a memory I will forever treasure!
You have also been involved with Holmes & Watson and Rocketman, how were both to film?
Holmes & Watson was such a fun experience to film! Getting to play a boisterous cockney child in the 19th century seems to be a running trend for me, apparently! In all seriousness, it was such a fun project to work on. Rocketman was also an extremely exciting project to be a part of! Getting to dance in such an incredible opening number was such a joy, and getting to do it alongside people I love and adore as friends made the experience even more special for me.
How did you get into acting and was it something you always wanted to do?
Acting was something I never saw myself doing. I grew up in a family of singers and I always wanted to be in a band, alongside my twin sister Kora. We dedicated our early years to singing and learning how to play the drums and guitar. It wasn’t until my mum needed an extra boy for a local production of Les Misérables, to play Marius, that I found a love for musical theatre. After we finished the show, I was hooked. Five months later, I joined Stagebox and, thanks to their remarkable training, landed my first professional job seven months after joining. It was a whirlwind 12 months that I truly believe changed the trajectory of my life!
Do you have any favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
Currently, I’m obsessed with Agatha All Along and cannot wait for the last few episodes to release. I also love Abbott Elementary, the writing on that show is hilarious, and I cannot wait for Season 4! I also love reality TV, and I need another season of The Traitors ASAP!
How do you like to spend your free time?
I spend a lot of my free time listening to music. I am a huge concert-goer, and I’ve been lucky enough to see a couple of my favourite artists live in the past few years. The atmosphere of live music is simply unbeatable. I also adore Ariana Grande, I’ve been a huge fan of hers for years and listen to her music daily. Her album Eternal Sunshine is on repeat constantly, and I can’t wait to watch her later this year in the Wicked movie. Besides music, I love spending time with the people I love and catching up with people I’ve missed. I’m truly grateful for each and every one of them.
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