INTERVIEW: Rob Houchen, currently starring in SOUTH PACIFIC on tour and at Sadler's Wells

Rob Houchen is a true modern-day Musical Theatre leading man, his CV is one to impress anyone out there with a huge range of work under his belt. He is currently playing the role of Lieutenant Cable in the UK tour of South Pacific after appearing in the production at the Chichester Festival Theatre, the show will also make a stop in the West End when it comes to Sadler's Wells from the 27th of July to the 28th of August. 

His theatre credits include South Pacific (Chichester Festival Theatre); Marry Me A Little (The Barn Theatre); City of Angels (Garrick Theatre); The Light in the Piazza (Royal Festival Hall), (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles) & (Lyric Opera, Chicago); Les Miserables All-Star Concert(Gielgud Theatre); Eugenius! (The Other Palace); Broken Wings (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Les Miserables 30th Anniversary (Japan); Titanic (Charing Cross Theatre); Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre); The 12 Tenors (World Wide Events); Godspell in Concert (The Lyric Theatre); Candide in Concert (Cadogan Hall) and Peter Pan (Harlow Playhouse).

Television/Film credits include: ‘Tony’ West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic (BBC) and Les Miserables The All-Star Concert (Universal).

South Pacific has just opened at the Manchester Opera House, but we managed to speak to Rob during the rehearsal process. 

REVIEW: The Light in the Piazza at the Southbank Centre

The original Broadway production of The Light in the Piazza thrust Kelli O’Hara into stardom, but it is difficult to imagine that anyone would have the same fortune in this rather limp production, currently playing at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Margaret Johnson (Opera star and Tony-nominee Renée Fleming) brings her daughter Clara (Dove Cameron) to Italy for a summer holiday, showing her the sights and teaching her the history. Clara however is more interested in Fabrizio Naccarelli (Rob Houchen). The rub? Clara was kicked in the head by a pony as a child, and is therefore emotionally and mentally undeveloped.

Daniel Evans has assembled a stellar cast, but unfortunately the piece itself never allows them the opportunity to really show us what they can do. The ensemble are severely underused, with just a few bars of the opening to sing, before spending the rest of the evening milling about like scene fillers in an opera.