Currently, Luke Latchman is touring the UK until Saturday 18th July in the world premiere of Mischief’s first musical comedy THESPIANS, playing the role of Atlas, with dates at Cardiff (until tomorrow, Saturday 27th June), Guildford (30th June – 4th July) and Manchester (7th – 18th July). Over the 2025 festive season, Luke played Prince Charming at Hackney Empire in Cinderella and was directed by Clive Rowe, and in the world premiere run of NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A MUSICAL, Luke originated the role of Younger Frank, with the show directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood. For Guildford Shakespeare Company, Luke played Duke of Aumerle in Richard II in 2023 and Benvolio/Paris in Romeo and Juliet in 2024, and he appeared in 42 Balloons at The Lowry in Salford, also in 2024. The previous year, Luke was in the cast of Jamie Lloyd’s reimagined Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre in London’s West End playing John, with the musical starring Nicole Scherzinger and Tom Francis, and whilst in the show, Luke attended the Olivier Awards. Further stage projects for Luke have seen him play Sayid and Alternate Jamie in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the West End’s Apollo Theatre, and be in the casts of Millennials and Working, with the latter marking Luke’s first stage show. In the live-action Amazon Original Movie Cinderella, Luke played Griff alongside Camila Cabello as Cinderella, Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Robert and Idina Menzel as Vivian. We chatted to Luke about touring as Atlas in Mischief’s first musical comedy THESPIANS, his time originating the role of Younger Frank in NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A MUSICAL, being part of the reimagined Sunset Boulevard and the West End’s Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and filming as Griff in Amazon Original Movie Cinderella.
How does it feel to be part of the world premiere of Mischief’s first musical comedy THESPIANS, and have you seen any of their productions previously?
It’s incredible. It’s thrilling. It fills me with joy. I have been following Mischief Theatre from the start and have loved all of their stage and TV creations – they are comedy geniuses. I was quite starstruck in my final audition to meet Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer, some founding members of Mischief. And now having worked with Jonathan throughout the rehearsal process, it is amazing to see him do what he does best and trust me to bring Atlas to life. It’s been great learning about the industry from him, as he has created so much work as well as performed in so much. Also turns out he is a really nice guy!
Can you tell us about THESPIANS and your character Atlas, and how was it preparing to open in the show?
THESPIANS is hilarious, like, really, really funny, and we have such a talented, silly and creative company. THESPIANS explores the first play in Greece and the origins of acting, which is a really cool concept and a lot of fun to play with.
The journey of the piece, and especially Atlas, is so exciting. The rehearsal process has allowed time for me to discover who Atlas is and, under the direction and support of Robyn Grant (director) and Joe Allen (associate director), it has been a great space to play, develop and discover. Atlas is a multi-faceted character, and I can’t wait to keep working on him and allow for the complicated and kind person he is to come out.
Whilst preparing to open the show, I was very nervous and excited. When working on a new piece, you have to have faith in the project and yourself, which can be daunting. But having such a supportive team makes it so much easier.
With THESPIANS touring the UK for 12 weeks until Saturday 18th July, what are you looking forward to for continuing your run with the musical and taking the show around the country?
I’m really excited to get the show in front of an audience because, in a comedy, the audience is a character. We need them to hopefully laugh with and at us! It is a joy to travel the country, share the piece with different audiences and get their responses. Each venue allows for a new audience and performer relationship, which keeps the show fresh and exciting! It is going to be really cool to share this brand-new musical with the UK!
You played Prince Charming in Cinderella at Hackney Empire over the 2025 festive season, can you tell us about this?
What an honour that was! I love working on all kinds of shows, but in 2025 I knew I wanted to do a pantomime, so what better than Prince Charming at Hackney Empire?
Working with Clive Rowe (director) was so exciting. The man is passionate about pantomime, and I respect that.
From the excerpt of the script I had, I got the impression that what Clive was looking for was very far from my normal self (cool, skater boy). Because of this, I made a choice I’ve never made before and I turned up to the audition venue in character. I have no idea if I was fooling anyone into thinking I was a cool skater boy, but I enjoyed the experience.
Speaking of, I think Clive taking the time at the start of the audition to chat and get to know me really helped me give my best at the audition, and it booked me the job!
It was so much fun working with such a funny and talented bunch of people over the Christmas period, and everyone at Hackney Empire are wonderful humans. Also, school shows are always wild, and hearing 500 people screaming for you really does wonders for your ego! I had a blast, and Cinderella has come up a few times in my career, so it felt great to return to the story and be Princey this time!
What was it like touring as Younger Frank in NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A MUSICAL and being directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood?
It was my first big tour, and I was unsure I’d be okay being away from my home comforts for so long. That said, I adapted and had an amazing time touring the country. It was a joy to explore what each city had to offer and discover some great vegan food along the way!
I ended up with the biggest princess track in the show, so I would bring my PlayStation into the venues and play when I had time off stage. This made me feel more comfortable in new and ever-changing environments, which is something I struggle with generally. Don’t worry – I didn’t miss my cue to be on stage once, for the panicked and aspiring stage managers out there!
Working with Craig Revel Horwood was really awesome. He had such a lovely, relaxed energy, which meant the rehearsal room was a great space to be in. Directors have a lot of power in setting the energy of the room, and his supporting and encouraging meant as a company we could bring ideas and co-create moments, which is wonderful as an actor! I loved working with CRH and may have blushed when he said I was a great dancer!
How was it originating the character of Younger Frank in the world premiere run and performing the 80s soundtrack?
So much fun! What a silly, playful character Younger Frank is! I was lucky to work with the sensational and sweet Nikita Johal again, a good friend of mine, who played my sister in this show. We had a blast playing opposite each other and discovering our characters and their sibling relationship together.
It was also an interesting experience because I was working alongside the best dressing room partner, Shak Hussain, as Older Frank. We had to work as a team to find our mannerisms and character quirks.
The music in the show was so much fun! The script was really strong, the audiences were wild and, most importantly, the company was great, so I loved it!
Can you say about your time with Guildford Shakespeare Company in their productions of Richard II (2023) as Duke of Aumerle and Romeo and Juliet (2024) as Benvolio/Paris?
The first thing to say about GSC is that I am very grateful for, and have loved, both of my times working with them. Getting to work on Shakespeare is always a treat, as the poetic language is as difficult as it is exciting. I really enjoy taking the time to pick apart the text, understand it, and find how best to deliver it. Matt (Pinches) and Sarah (Gobran), the founders, are delightful, passionate and committed, which is such a fantastic energy to work with. Both the shows I worked on were site-specific, so this adds another layer of challenge and intrigue!
Guildford Shakespeare Company has been a very interesting pivotal point in my life for a few reasons. On my first visit to Guildford, I ended up crashing my car and writing it off. The second time, I cracked my head on a doorframe during a show and caused a show stop to get stitches. I haven’t driven since and now wear crash helmets through all doorways… okay, so maybe only the first is true.
However, not all bad as I met my partner on Romeo and Juliet, and she sat with me in A&E waiting to get my head stitched and cleaned my blood stained costumes… oops.
Don’t worry, I made it up to her by playing a full campaign of Baldur’s Gate 3 on the PlayStation with her! Two Tavs taking down the Netherbrain!
Finally, Natasha (Rickman), director of Richard II, is now Artistic Director of the Mercury Theatre, where THESPIANS started!! Amazing how everything comes together! Thank you, GSC!
Was there anything that drew you to 42 Balloons, and how was it being in the cast of the musical at The Lowry in Salford in 2024?
I was drawn to the show not only for the original material, the heartfelt and whimsical TRUE story. Then, in the audition, I knew the choreography was amazing and the material was strong.
That said, the dance was a challenge for me, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to struggle through the process, so I hesitated before taking the job. My incredible agent, Holly Davidson (BWH), encouraged me to read Fear Less by Pippa Grange as I do, unfortunately, allow fear and poor self-belief get in my way a lot! Also, Manchester is a great city, so that was an appeal too.
(Not so secret) Agent Holly was right. Alexzandra Sarmiento put us to work with the choreography, and I loved it!
During this job, as a company, we really bonded, and everyone was so warm and kind. Ellie Coote, director, did a phenomenal job creating a close, family environment. We would do daily check-ins, which not only helped us work in the room better as a team but helped me make some important personal life choices. I am forever grateful to the team for supporting me through the project.
It was an incredible experience, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it!
In the 2023 reimagined Sunset Boulevard, directed by Jamie Lloyd at the Savoy Theatre in the West End, you could be seen as John; how did you find the experience working on the musical?
What an experience. This was a HUGE show! I have never been in a bigger rehearsal space! And we had TWO OF THEM!
The use of the screens and camera was fascinating to see be created in the space. And watching Nicole (Scherzinger) sing every night was an absolute privilege. What a professional!
I take such pride in being part of this legendary production. It is a feat of theatrical genius. I found the high-intensity environment a challenge, but in that pressure a diamond was formed, and I can see that the precision and discipline asked of us made the show the success it is.
Working at the Savoy Theatre was a dream come true, and the people there really made it a great experience. The company generously brought the whole cast to the Olivier Awards that year, and hearing your show get called for so many Oliviers was absolutely thrilling!!
What are some of your favourite memories from playing Sayid in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre, and how was it getting into character as Alternate Jamie?
Oh my! I have so many amazing stories from this job, so I will try to be brief or this will turn into a biographic deep dive.
The level of play and exploration over the year I had on this job was insane, and I loved it so much. One of my favourite Sayid memories was at the prom during the show. I had a prop phone and I was trying to take a picture of Jamie as part of the scene. Well, this one time, I dropped the phone and the battery popped out and fell into the audience… Shout out to that audience member that put it back on stage for me to fix during the scene!
Playing Sayid was so much fun. I had a blast every night with the company, plus we got to do West End Live, which was so much fun! What a wicked experience!
Getting into character for Jamie didn’t feel too far from me. We are both from council estates, we both get told too often that we are “too much”, and we both fall prey to being a bit too fabulous for the patriarchy.
It was such an honour to be Alternate Jamie, and getting to do 61 shows in that role is something I will forever treasure. I learnt a lot on that show from both Jamie and Sayid. A lot of things I would do differently now that I am more experienced, but I think sometimes a naive charm is part of playing certain roles, and playing a teenager means missteps are part of the character development (in and out of character).
I have a long list of hilarious things that happened during my “Jamie shows”, but I’ll save those for another time.
Over your career so far, your further projects have included Elliot Clay’s musical Millennials at The Other Palace, Dick Whittington at Lyric Hammersmith, Flowers for Mrs Harris at Chichester Festival Theatre, Spring Awakening at Hope Mill Theatre and Working at Southwark Playhouse, can you tell us about some of them?
Working was my first ever show, which I think, as performers, we never forget our first time. It was so exciting and scary, and being around other professionals I wanted to do my best, and also try to absorb as much as possible!
All the projects I have worked on hold a special place in my heart. Each venue provides a new space to explore. Each director works in different ways, and it is interesting to learn what I respond to and learn how I can do my best work in each project. Each company provides a fountain of knowledge to learn and grow from. Each job gives me more experience, more opportunities to learn and improve, and a chance to perform, for which I am always grateful!
As a screen actor, you played Griff in the 2021 feature film Cinderella (starring Camila Cabello, Nicholas Galitzine and Idina Menzel), do you remember how you felt finding out you’d booked the role, and what was Griff like to play?
Finding out I booked the role was… anticlimactic, as the call from my agent, Holly Davidson, had woken me up (oops!). I am not a morning person, so after hearing, “Hello, is that Luke Latchman, star of stage and screen?”, I simply replied with a confused “Hrmmmphhhhhrm?”. I did not have the capacity for clever wordplay…
Anyway, agent Holly phoned me an hour later after my brain had woken up, and it was all very exciting from then on!
Working closely with Nicholas, Camila, Jenet (Le Lacheur), Tallulah (Greive) and Fra (Fee) was a joy, and we became close friends during the months of filming. I got to meet incredible people and experience being on a film set for the first time, which is extremely different to live theatre.
Griff was super fun to play around with. We had such a laugh being silly, riding horses in the forest, and singing and dancing our hearts out. Overall, it was tricky switching to acting for screen, but it was a great experience and one I wish to return to soon, with the lessons learnt from this one.
What was it like being part of the Cinderella cast, and did you have any favourite scenes to film?
My first day showing up to Pinewood to get my measurements done was so exciting anyway. Then the director, Kay Cannon, pulled me into her office, and the wall was full of headshots with some insane names and faces. Being part of this star-studded cast was crazy. Looking around each day and seeing who I was sharing a scene with was surreal.
I had a few favourite scenes, but riding the horses in the forest was so much fun and something I never thought I would get to do. Also, playing with prop swords between shooting was great fun!
A part of the film that didn’t make the final edit was a song the Prince and his friends sang. That was a lot of fun to film, and I would love to get my hands on that footage to relive those memories.
How did you get into acting, and was it always something you wanted to do professionally?
Not always. As a kid, I did enjoy theatre as my mum would take me. I was too young when I watched it, but I love the movie musical of Chicago.
My mum had tried me at all the after-school clubs, but around the age of eight, Stagecoach was the one that really stuck.
It was in secondary school when I knew that I wanted to take this seriously and push it beyond a hobby and into a potential career. With the support of my family, I did more, went to a local dance school, Beddow Academy, and decided to go to Canterbury College to focus on my training.
I was accepted onto the foundation course at ArtsEd and continued onto the three-year course after that. That’s where I met my agent, Holly Davidson at The BWH agency. She came to see our end of third year shows and then our showcase, and after each one gave me a compliment on something specific I did during the show. The rest is history.
It is so cool that everyone’s journeys into the industry vary so much. I am so grateful to my mum for her support during it all. I wouldn’t be doing what I am without her doing everything and finding an obscene amount of money and investing it into my career.
I owe everything to my mum, and also shout out to my dad, who helped me survive that first year away from home.
What are some of your favourite films, TV and theatre shows to watch?
Lots to choose from!
Some films that stuck with me are Parasite and Soul (I know, two very far extremes). I am a sucker for a classic Marvel movie/series. My idea of reality TV is Physical: 100/Asia. What a great show. But I do enjoy Black Mirror, Fallout and The Boys.
Theatre is a lot harder to narrow down, but I am a big fan of Billy Elliot, Legally Blonde and In the Heights, and I loved Stranger Things: The First Shadow when I saw it!
What do you enjoy doing away from your career?
I am a gamer through and through! RPGs, strategy, RTS, roguelikes, adventures etc… I have gotten into audiobooks recently as well (Fourth Wing is my favourite book series so far…).
I also love teaching theatre when I get the opportunity. I love creating a silly and fun environment for kids to explore and have fun! I know I work best in relaxed, low-stress rooms (I can do the stressing myself), so I like to try and create that same environment when I teach.
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