10 Year Challenge: Some of our Favourite West End Performers!

There's a craze going around at the moment called 'The 10 Year challenge' and as we're welcoming in the new decade, we looked back at some of our favourite performers and did it for them! Check our the list of amazing actors below and the journey they've gone on from 2010 to 2020 and tweet us your favourite 10 year challenge or send us ones we've left off!

Lucie Jones

As Cosette in the London production of Les Miserables and as Jenna in Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre. Other credits include Emily in A Christmas Carol (Lyceum); Lou in Girlfriends (LMTO); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (UK tour); Maureen Johnson in RENT the Musical (The Other Palace and UK tour); Holly in The Wedding Singer (UK tour); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve/South Korea – DIMF Best Actress in a Musical Award); Molly Jensen in Ghost: The Musical (Asian tour); Victoria in American Psycho the Musical (Almeida) and Meatloaf in We Will Rock You (world arena tour).

Melanie La Barrie 

As Mrs Phelps in the original cast of Matilda and as the Nurse in the original London cast of & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre. Other credits include Madame Morrible in Wicked (Apollo Victoria); Mrs Phelps in Matilda (RSC Stratford and Cambridge); The Lorax (Old Vic); Martha Watson in White Christmas (West Yorkshire Playhouse); General Cartwright in Guys & Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre); Ma Rainey in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Liverpool Playhouse); Madame Thernardier in Les Miserables (Queens); Pearl in Daddy Cool (Shaftesbury) and Mrs Corry in Mary Poppins (Prince Edward).

THEN AND NOW: Starlight Express

Starlight Express broke down all the barriers when it opened in the West End in 1984, putting things on stage that had never been done before. After countless productions around the World, its now a household name and instantly recognisable across the globe. Its holds the World record for being one of the longest running sit down productions in the World after the Bochum production celebrated its 30th Birthday this year. The thing that we found super cool about this show is how its evolved through the years, different productions have some completely different designs and its really interesting to see how its altered through time. Productions that are included here include the original West End run, the 1992 revamp of the show, UK tours and the Bochum production, both past companies and the current revamped version made especially for the 30th year. Take a look and share your favourite moments of the show with us on Twitter! @PocketSizeBlog #PocketThenNow  

Rusty 

Ray Shell (1984), Paul Baker (1994), James Gillan (2004), Kevin Kohler (2014) & Blake P Anderson (2018)

Pearl

Stephanie Lawrence (1984), Cheryl McAvoy (1998), Amanda Coutts (2012), Trina Hill (2014) & Georgina Hagen (2018)

WICKED 10: James Gillan

Firstly, tell us what part you played and what year(s) you were in the company! 
I played the role of Boq the first 2 years of the run. 

Do you remember seeing WICKED for the first time? When and where was it?
Yes my dearest friend Ashleigh Gray and I where on a break from the UK tour of Taboo, so we decided to go to New York, we saw wicked (not long opened) and said we both wanted to be in it and we where! It was magical. 

Did you ever think you’d be in the show one day?
I knew when I saw it on Broadway I wanted to play Boq. I was thrilled to be the original in London and I loved using my Scottish accent, that was all my idea, I just thought he suited it. 

What is your best memory from your time at WICKED?
Just the whole buzz with Idina (Menzel) coming over, all the principles got to meet the night before rehearsals for a meal with some of the creative team just to say hi ,and I think welcome Idina. But I've lots of great memory's, too many to go into.