In the recent world premiere of Doubting Thomas at Theatre Royal Windsor, Louis Holland originated the role of Ben, and he performed at the theatre previously having played Ian Trenting last year in the Sean Mathias’ revival of Accolade, also making his tour debut with the production, with Ayden Callaghan and Honeysuckle Weeks as his on-stage parents. On screen, Louis played an Eton Boy in Series 6 of The Crown, and he had his first professional role starring as Sebastian in the short film Rising Liberty opposite Pooky Quesnal as Sue. We found out from Louis about originating the role of Ben in the world premiere of Doubting Thomas, playing Ian Trenting in the revival of Accolade and his screen projects – The Crown and Rising Liberty.
You have recently been playing Ben in the world premiere of Doubting Thomas at Theatre Royal Windsor, how did the run go?
The run went really well and it’s been well-received, we all worked very hard to make our portrayal of a torn family unit as truthful and honest as possible, and even with only ten days of rehearsal we were all really pleased with the outcome of our work.
What was it like being part of a world premiere production and originating the role of Ben?
I’ve enjoyed every second of the experience and it’s been an honour to work with such professionals. It’s always interesting and exciting when working with new material because you have such freedom to detail your character and make it your own, without predetermination.
Can you tell us about Doubting Thomas and how would you describe your character?
Doubting Thomas is a charismatic, thought-provoking play, whilst being quite playful and charming.
It follows a family whose grandfather is suffering with dementia, so much so he’s been placed in a retirement home where he is later charged with the accidental murder of his carer, meanwhile his family tries to prove his innocence, however the truth they come to find is more than they bargained for. It’s full of plot twists, which, judging the audiences’ gasps are very unexpected.
My character, Ben, is that of a young adult struggling with self-identity, social pressure and grief.
How did you prepare for the production and was there anything that drew you to the script?
I try to keep my preparation as simple as possible so not complicate things. I look at the facts of the character I’m playing, then hot seat and fill in the blanks with my own thoughts, the tricky part is when your character and your own opinions differ, you really have to fight to find their point of view and justify whatever that might be in your own mind so you can fully become the character and execute his objectives properly.
What was Ben like to play and what did you enjoy most about performing at Theatre Royal Windsor?
Playing Ben was challenging. Act 2 of the play requires you to wear your heart on your sleeve and be emotionally vulnerable but I’ve enjoyed the challenge and it’s been a pleasure bringing him to life. My favourite thing about performing at Windsor was our backstage team who are real pros and good friends of mine, my second favourite was the bed in my dressing room for conking out on after a matinee.
Last year, you played Ian Trenting in Sean Mathias’ revival of Accolade at Theatre Royal Windsor and on the UK Tour, how was it taking on the role of Ian?
Daunting. I was fresh out of drama school when I landed the role of Ian Trenting, a naive adolescent teen with a strange obsession with Charles Dickens. It was my first theatre job let alone tour and, although I was confident in my abilities, I was nervous all the same. However, once we began to rehearse, I quickly felt composed and ready.
My favourite part of taking on the role of Ian was the fact it was written and set in the 1950s as I’m a big fan of period pieces, and love acting in heightened RP.
What was it like working alongside the rest of the cast, which included Ayden Callaghan and Honeysuckle Weeks as your on-stage parents Will and Rona?
Absolutely brilliant. Ayden, Honeysuckle and I really gelled as a family unit, and we as a cast all got on so well. Honeysuckle and I fast became great friends and we ended up sharing digs together while on tour, where she became my mother on and off stage, looking after me and showing me the ropes.
How did you find the experience touring for the first time?
It was the most fun I ever had, performing in beautiful theatres across the country in cities I had never visited before.
How was it on set of The Crown – Series 6, in which you played an Eton Boy?
Surreal, I’ve always been fascinated by screen and its process, from the cameras to the gadgets to the costume, I loved it all. I had worked on screen before but I’d never been involved in anything on the scale of The Crown, to have the opportunity to work and gain experience on a big set like that was a dream. We filmed in Winchester and then did the ADR in London a few months later.
For your first professional role, you starred as Sebastian in the short film Riding Liberty opposite Pooky Quesnal as Sue, can you tell us about working on this project?
We filmed during the summer of 2020 in the middle of the COVID pandemic so it was challenging for the production team but luckily it was all filmed outside. Working with Pooky was amazing as she was the first professional actor I had shared a scene with, and I remember being in awe of how relaxed she was in front of the camera.
What encouraged you to train at Italia Conti and how was your time as a student?
At first, I was weary of going to drama school because I’m not the patient type and three years to me seemed an eternity to be exempt from auditioning, but I knew if I wanted to do plays as well as screen I would have to train, and in retrospect, I’m really happy I did. At Conti, I was able to solidify all the basics of acting from breath work, vocalisation, movement, all the way to developing truthful characters. I was placed in an environment where I was surrounded by extremely talented, like-minded people and I was able grow, not only as an actor but as a person too, and though I did end up leaving early to star in Accolade, I wouldn’t trade the time I had there for the world.
How did you get into acting and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
Before acting, I was going to work with horses either being a jump jockey, or a farrier as I’ve a great love for horses but my dream was always acting. Although I never thought it a possible career path as I didn’t know anyone in the industry, and when I told people I was going to be an actor they would usually laugh, or worse, try to talk me out of it but I refused to let those who abandoned their dreams to steal mine. I started off in school plays and it fast became the thing I was best at and by the time I turned 15 I had an agent (Jo at Aston Management) and was being put forward for auditions where I booked my first short, Riding Liberty.
What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
I’m a big fan of period films such as Simon Langton’s Pride and Prejudice, Frances O’Connor’s Emily, David Michôd’s The King, but also dystopian films like The Hunger Games franchise. One of my favourite plays is Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and my favourite TV show at the moment is Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone.
How different do you find acting on stage opposed to filming for screen, and what do you enjoy about each?
I honestly don’t think they’re that different. However, there are the obvious differences, for example, when acting on stage you’ll have an audience (unless your show is really bad), so instantly you have people to connect with in real time, which is something I personally love because there’s no retakes which adds to the thrill, whereas for screen it’s usually a more solitary environment and you’ve as many takes as you like. However, I love acting in front of the camera as it requires a more naturalistic and technical approach because you’re not having to worry so much about your projection, physicality or enunciation, as it’s much more focused on the subtleties.
How do you like spending your free time?
Currently I’m learning to write scripts, and languages so I can play more characters. I also play guitar, sing, ride horses and travel.
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