Meet the Cast of Rent: Alex Kirkham

So let's meet some of the actors in the show...

"He’s a big softy who definitely wears his heart firmly on his sleeve."

Alex Kirkham in rehearsal (Photo courtesy of Front of House Photography )

Name: Alex Kirkham

Character Name: Tom Collins

Tell us about your character: Collins is a HIV+ computer genius and philosophy professor who was recently expelled from New York University, possibly because of his passion for bohemian culture, rebellion and anarchy. He’s a big softy who definitely wears his heart firmly on his sleeve. Collins adores his friends and isn’t afraid to fall in love. 

Is there anything in your own life that helps you connect with your character? I feel that I have a few things in common with Collins. I have definitely enjoyed a healthy dose of rebellion in the past and I’m also (sadly) a hopeless romantic.

What’s your favourite song in the show and why? My favourite tune in the show is ‘Take Me or Leave Me’ because it’s sassy, funky and incredibly cheeky. It’s completely character driven and will definitely raise the roof in our production!

What other shows have you done? Oliver! (Mr. Bumble), Into the Woods (Baker), Oklahoma! (Jud), Sweeney Todd (Beadle), Anything Goes (Mr. Whitney) to name a few.

Can you recall a particularly memorable on-stage moment? A memorable on-stage moment for me would probably be back at sixth form, happily receiving a ‘pie to the face’ in an Anything Goes dress rehearsal, whist wearing an expensive costume hired from the National Theatre’s costume store. Whoops.

Can you remember the first time you thought “I want to be in theatre”? I knew I wanted to tread the boards after being taken to see Christmas Panto at Theatre Royal Windsor as a child. I think it was Cinderella.

What are you enjoying most about being part of Simply Theatre? Every person at Simply has been incredibly welcoming and friendly since day one. The banter is also infinite and extremely entertaining. It’s lovely to be working with a group of like-minded, ridiculously talented and hilarious people!

Is there room in your life for anything else apart from singing, dancing & acting? I’ve just finished my music degree at Chichester, so I now (scarily) find myself in the ‘real world’. I’m really into writing and directing, and I’d love to go travelling at some point soon.

Rent runs from Thursday 17th September until Saturday 19th at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre, Woking - You can book here.

No Day But Today