On song
GETTING those big West End breaks is never easy - but the whole thing becomes even more difficult during this time of coronavirus.
It’s been very much a stop-start year for Llanelli’s Samuel Wyn-morris
At the start of 2020, he was part of the Les Miserables team at London’s Sondheim Theatre.
The 24-year-old was in the ensemble playing Feuilly and also acting as the ‘cover’ (understudy) for the roles of Enjolras and Jean Valjean.
Then, came the first national lockdown.
Then, in the autumn, Samuel was lucky enough to escape the Welsh lockdown to rejoin the cast and crew again in London, as the production got ready to resume.
The Les Miserables cast managed a number of performances up to last night.
But now London is back in ‘Tier 1’ of coronavirus restrictions and the production has once again been halted.
Samuel summed up the situation before taking the stage last night: “It’s obviously heartbreaking.
“To have been given the chance to get back to work over the last month has been extraordinary. To see work friends, make new friends and to continue doing what I love.
“I understand that many people find theatre work trivial and I get that, but when you put in the bigger picture that 70% of the workforce, including myself, are freelance, we simply haven’t been offered the support.
“To effectively be made unemployed a week before Christmas is frightening.”
Samuel added: “The work that Cameron Mackintosh and all London’s theatrical producers have put into getting us back to work has been incredible.
“The Sondheim
Theatre and the
Gielgud Theatre is now one building after Cameron Mackintosh found an old cavity and, so that we could be in covid-secure socially-distanced bubbles backstage, knocked through to give us the space we need.
“Coupling this with Covid tests three times a week, it’s been a massive undertaking.
“That’s before we get to the NHS tracked, ‘Temperature Checked’ socially-distanced audience, which was capped at 50% down from 70% with five days notice.
“It is a mess - but come January I believe the plan is to keep going to keep proving we’re viable and to keep the lights shining in the West End.
“I think the hardest thing of all has to be the not knowing.
“Many parts of England have had the restrictions for well over a month.
“I just hope that, with the latest vaccine news and other medical
breakthroughs, 2021 is a brighter year for theatre and for people who enjoy entertainment as a whole - from Netflix to a touring play at Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli, or indeed the West End.”
It’s been an equally frustrating time for another ‘local hero’ member of the Les Miserables cast - John Owen-jones, the performer who is ranked as one of the very best to star as Jean Valjean.
John said: “If you are unable to get tickets for any of the Les Miserables performances, then you can always listen to the Les Misérables Live! (The 2010 Cast Album) on Spotify or other streaming services.
“You can check the (now updated) schedule for Les Miserables performances on https://www.johnowenjones.com/live”
John’s latest album, Spotlight, also available on all platforms.
And John has started building his is appearance schedule for 2021.
In June, he has a performance lined up in Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, starring alongside Britain’s Got Talent winners Collabro.
Meanwhile, in other news, the Trustees of LARS (Loud Applause Rising Stars) are pleased to announce they have bestowed the prestigious ‘Associate Membership of LARS’ accolade on six members.
This title has been given to members who are at the stage of stepping down from LARS to progress in a professional singing or a musicrelated career.
LARS, the brainchild of Llanellibased concert promoter Cerith Owens, works to help mentor young musical talent throughout Wales, provided concert and performance opportunities for up-and-coming instrumentalists and singers.
Mr Owens said: “The awarding of Associate Membership of LARS is not offered lightly and will only be made available to a small number of specially-selected recipients who are considered well on their way to achieving their professional goals in a fiercely competitive and increasingly difficult world.
“Certain criteria were used in selection, which included meeting a high level of academic achievement, consistently demonstrated high professional standards and having performed at a variety of prestigious events representing LARS at local, national and sometimes international cultural events
“It is expected that our Associate Members will wherever possible ‘fly the flag for LARS’, offer peer support to junior members of LARS as appropriate and regularly keep in touch with LARS - hopefully, attending as many events as possible.
“The title Associate Membership has been bestowed on Joseph Cavalli-price, Stephen
Davies, Callum Howells, Keely Morgan, Samuel Wyn-morris and Nia Rees.
“We are extremely proud of our Associate Members and warmly congratulate them on their continued success.”
The move concludes the LARS Recognitions and Awards for 2020.
As a reminder, the recipients were as follows:
■ Board of Trustees Volunteer Recognition Award – awarded to Mavis Anderson.
■ Friends of LARS Bursaries – Lauren Fisher, Sydney Richards, Imogen Price, Joseph Cavalli-price, James Oakley, Osian Clarke, Lauren Williams, Nikkila Thomas.
The LARS Sunday Night is Music Night virtual concerts have been a massive success, with more than 4,500 views every week.
You can see the Sunday Night is Music Night virtual concerts via the LARS website - https://www.loudapplauserisingstars.co.uk/