Wigan man lands his first professional role in the West End

Owen Bolton, from Scholes, is starring in Choir of Man in the capital’s Leicester Square.

It is the 22-year-old’s first professional role since graduating from the Guildford School of Acting with a Bachelor of Arts in musical theatre in 2021.

Owen said: "My dad’s a singer so we always had a musical influence growing up and my older brother played guitar so I started playing it too.

“I started singing when I was three after I got up to sing at my cousin’s wedding.

"I did loads of music at school and at Wigan Youth Zone then at 15 I got the lead role in the school’s (Rose Bridge High) production of School of Rock.

"Salford City college have a course at Pendleton which has produced stars for stage and screen across the UK.

"The professional side kicked in there and in my second year I auditioned for GSA, where I learned all about musical theatre and being a professional.

"I was surrounded by the likes of Brenda Blethyn and Michael Ball, gave me the want to do well and get an agent at the end and I ended up signing with Apollo Artist Management.

"Through them I landed a role for a different production which didn’t go ahead and then I got an audition in the finals for the West End.

“I went down, six weeks later I got the call and here we are.”

Choir of Man isn't a traditional musical; it doesn't have a plot.

Instead, it's a 90-minute musical performance starring an eight-strong cast of men – who each get to tell their story by singing cover songs relevant to their lives.

It also touches on various themes such as mental health.

The set is a real-life working pub and includes free beer.

Owen’s character is named The Beast which he believes relates to his hometown.

He added: "The Beast is a soulful character, he doesn’t say much.

"He’s a builder by day and read poetry by night.

"He has a guitar and just plays to himself and gets lost in his music.

"My accent has a hats-off to that.

"Us Wiganers have a very niche way of communicating with people!”

Choir of Man is on now at the Arts Theatre in London.

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