At only 20 years old, leading man Alex Hutson is a true triple-threat performer; acting, singing and dancing his way through Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence Musical where, as the title character, he is onstage for nearly the entire production.
We caught up with Alex to find out more about his theatrical journey…
When did you first get involved with theatre?
I was 5 when I started performing, though my parents say I loved singing and shows long before that. I started at Stagecoach before joining my local youth theatre group, Starmaker, at the age of 10. I then performed with both until Covid hit. I’ve also appeared in Sister Act and Oliver! with Reading Operatic Society, and American Idiot with Anything Goes Theatre Company.
Is this your first lead role in a musical?
It’s my first lead role with an adult group. When I was 7 I played ‘Charlie’ in Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and since then I’ve been lucky enough to take a number of roles in youth and school productions including ‘Bullfrog’ in Honk!, ‘Amos’ in Chicago, ‘Jack’ in Into the Woods and ‘Seymour’ in Little Shop of Horrors.
Have you had any other theatrical experience?
When I was 14 I played ‘John’ in the Hexagon pantomime – Peter Pan, where I got to fly on stage! Justin Fletcher was in the cast and it was an amazing experience. I was then in the children’s chorus the following year for Aladdin.
Do you want to pursue theatre as a career?
Before Covid I dreamt of performing in the West End and did various performance exams with the goal of going to drama school. However after seeing the effects of Covid on the industry I had a bit of a re-think. I love roller coasters and am on a degree apprenticeship with Merlin (who own Thorpe Park, Chessington, Alton Towers etc) whilst studying for a degree in Business Management. I love that I can still enjoy theatre as a hobby but, as for a career, who knows!
- 15 to 18 May 2024
- £14 - £25
- The Hexagon, Reading