Everybody’s talking about Noah

NOAH THOMAS, a drama student who postponed an audition so he could see his mother receive an honour from the Queen at Buckingham Palace, has landed the title role in West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Rehearsals start on monday, and Noah admitted that he’s ‘as excited as i am terrified...you need a little bit of fear in you to get through’.

The 20-year-old South londoner, who started acting lessons when he was five, will assume the part of 16-year-old Jamie — a student who wants to proclaim his individuality by wearing a gown to his school prom in South Yorkshire — on January 6 at the Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue. He takes over from layton Williams, who will lead a touring production.

Noah, a student at mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, told me he could audition for Jamie ‘any time’. ‘But going to the Palace with my mum and three generations of my family only happens once.’

His mother, Dawn, was made an mBE for her pioneering diversity work at the foreign office, where his father Paul also works in human resources.

Another audition (his first as a professional) was arranged and he so impressed that within a few hours he received a call asking him to do a second one. Then he was offered the job.

He was one of hundreds who auditioned for the lead role in the musical created by Dan Gillespie Sells, Tom macRae and Jonathan Butterell.

He admitted he hadn’t expected to get the part, but figured it was worth trying out for ‘the experience’.

Noah said that if he had to highlight his favourite thing about the musical it would be the relationship between Jamie and his mum.

‘i don’t know how i’m going to get through those songs they have together. He adores his mum and admires her; and i feel exactly the same about mine. Everything she has taught me has been by example.’ As a child, he attended drama classes at weekends. At seven, he remembers telling the other kids in class: ‘We need to focus! our show’s next week!’

later he did ballet lessons, while choreographer Rai Quartley looked after his ‘street side’ with hip-hop and jazz.

Noah’s the most recent example of a newbie going straight from stage school into a top West End role.

Jac Yarrow (from Arts Educational) won acclaim for Joseph at the Palladium, while Sam Tutty (italia Conti Academy) opens at the top of the bill in Dear Evan Hansen at the Noel Coward on Tuesday.