At just 13 years of age, Sir Roger Manwood’s pupil Louis Relf has already appeared on stage in the country’s capital, performing in the same venue that has graced the likes of The Beatles, David Bowie and Bob Marley to name a few.
Having started dancing from as early as two through his mum’s dance school Dance with Danni, Louis Relf has a passion for performing and has dreams of a career in the West End.
CommunityAd were able to catch up with Louis Relf as he discussed his greatest roles to date, role models and where he sees himself in the next 5-10 years…
What are your earliest experiences of acting and when did you realise you had an incredible talent?
My earliest experience of acting was when I auditioned for School Of Rock The Musical. I had been to see the show and absolutely loved it so I thought, why not give it a go?!
Was there a particular moment you experienced that made you realise your dream is to be on the West End?
Most probably when I watched Billy Elliot: The Musical. This musical is very special to me because I can relate to so many aspects of the story including Billy’s passion for dance.
Can you inform readers of the work you have done on stage and on screen so far?
So far in my career, I have been in the Choir in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat starring Jaymi Hensley from Union J.
During the Christmas period of 2019, I played one of the Oakmoor School Pupils in Nativity starring alongside Danni Dyer, Danny Dyer, Sharon Osborne and Rylan Clark-Neil located at the Eventim Apollo in London.
I have also appeared in a HelloFresh TV advert too.
Who would you say are the role models that you look up to most?
One of my role models is definitely Layton Williams who has starred in Billy Elliot, Hairspray, Bad Education and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
I have been lucky enough to attend a dance workshop with Layton and I also interviewed him for a school project. Layton started in the industry very young but when I spoke to him about his career, he explained he had attended many auditions before being successful and this made me realise how hard it is to get into this industry but also that the hard work, time and effort is definitely worth it.
If you could pick any theatre production and venue to perform in, what would it be and why?
If Billy Elliott was still in production then I would love to star in that. Other than that, I love Mamma Mia and Hairspray as they are so upbeat and have such a feel-good vibe for the audience. I would love to perform at the Victoria Palace Theatre.
How have you been able to adapt to the past 18 months through the pandemic where you haven’t been able to audition and be as active as before?
During the pandemic, for the first part, auditions stopped completely. However, the auditions started coming through via Zoom or self-tapes. I successfully auditioned through Zoom for School of Rock and got through to the finals with both the casting and musical directors. As this was the eighth round of auditions, I had half an hour one to one with both of them where I had to play two pieces on the drums from the show, sing two songs and perform a script. This was an amazing experience. Unfortunately, due to two lockdowns, the tour had been postponed and I, therefore, grew three inches too tall for the role.
What would you say has been your most enjoyable moment on stage or on-screen so far and why?
I would say my most enjoyable moment was during my time in Nativity. I was chosen to have a speaking role and had to put on my very best posh accent in front of 5000 people each show!! It was also amazing to perform alongside the various celebrities too!
What do you enjoy most about being a student of Sir Roger Manwood’s School?
At Sir Roger Manwood’s, they have always been very supportive and accommodating to my auditions and opportunities, especially my drama and music teachers. I also love to play the piano and drums which is always welcomed at school.
Are there any future projects you have in the works and where would you like to see yourself in the next 5-10 years?
I am currently auditioning through self-tapes when they are requested by my agency but you never know what’s around the corner. I have been lucky enough to have reached the finals in many productions such as School of Rock, Matilda, Joseph, The King and I and The Boy in the Dress. Having reached the final stages, I have been told many times that at this point it is about the cast appearance and fitting together as a team visually. I, therefore, believe when the time is right, I will get the dream part!