Lee Latchford-Evans’ career with 90s popsters Steps has, for the most part, overshadowed his long-held love of musical theatre, which he studied at drama school. Things are definitely changing on that score, though... Having previously played roles including Teen Angel in Grease, Lee is now starring as Lance Dubois in critically acclaimed musical & Juliet, which visits the Potteries this month. 
Here, What’s On chats to him to find out more...     

For people who think they know Romeo & Juliet, how does the show shake things up, Lee?
It's not the Romeo & Juliet that everyone knows. It's more about life for Juliet after the familiar story, with Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway arguing over how the tale is meant to play out. It's about how Juliet’s life goes on without Romeo, who and what she encounters, and all the characters within that. So it's not your typical Romeo & Juliet story. It's a comedy and it's a musical, so if you're going along expecting something like A Midsummer Night's Dream or Hamlet, then you might be a bit shocked!

Who is your character Lance, and how does he feature in the narrative?
Lance Dubois is a father. He has lost his wife, but he has three sons, although two of them are away at war, so he's really concentrating on Francois, the one son who hasn't gone off to be a soldier. I think it's a battle for Lance, as he’s a very set-in-his-ways, old-fashioned type of father who is trying to get to grips with raising a son on his own. He's that burly kind of character who goes: “I was a soldier, I was in the police, and you will do as I say.” As the story unfolds, he becomes less complicated and more loving - plus, he has a love interest in Angelique, who is Juliet's Nurse. It's a bit of a rollercoaster for Lance and a nice thread throughout the show.

Are you a Shakespeare buff or a novice?
I'm a total novice; I'm not even going to pretend otherwise! When I was at school, I did an Antigone project where we went down to Stratford-upon-Avon and performed there, but that's as far as it goes. It's very strange with the language of Shakespeare because you kind of get what's going on without really understanding everything. But & Juliet isn't typical Shakespeare by any means. It's modern language, and it's a jukebox musical full of fantastic Max Martin songs. So you get Domino by Jessie J, ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears, It's My Life by Bon Jovi, songs by Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys and Justin Timberlake. Max has worked on so many amazing songs. The musical is also what I'd call very Steps-friendly. We always say with Steps shows that you leave your troubles at the door; you just let yourself go and have a great time. It's the same with & Juliet.

You're no stranger to musical theatre, but what hooked you in about this particular show?
My character Lance is French, and he's the only one in the show that actually has a French accent. Okay, it’s more in the style of the TV show ’Allo ’Allo, or Lumiere from Beauty And The Beast, but I wanted to challenge myself. What I also love is that it's the kind of role where you can really let yourself go and be free, and it's a little bit over-the-top. He's this exuberant, larger-than-life character, and if anyone truly knows me, they'll know that it's a challenge for me to let myself go. Away from the job, I'm this just-get-on-with-it, straight-down-the-middle kind of guy. When I played Niko in Eurobeat: Moldova, I really had to step out of my comfort zone, and it feels a bit like that with Lance as well, But I've been welcomed into the show with open arms by the team and the cast, which makes life so much easier.

What makes Max Martin's music so special? And do you have a favourite number in the show?
Every song of his you just have to sing along to, and there are so many hits in the show. It's so clever how they’re worked into the story. For example, one of the big numbers for me is the mash-up of Teenage Dream and Break Free, where Lance and Angelique have this moment together that's romantic but also very funny, and those songs tell their story in this moment so well. All the songs in the show are very catchy. Steps toured with Britney, so I know her music well - as does everyone - and who doesn't love a bit of Everybody (Backstreet's Back)?

How does the & Juliet story speak to contemporary audiences?
It's a show where everybody's welcome, and it touches on inclusivity, diversity and themes that are relevant in the world right now. The LGBTQ community is obviously huge with Steps, and it feels like this show speaks to the same audience. Like I said before, if you just let yourself go and leave your worries at the door, everybody's welcome at a Steps show and everybody's welcome at & Juliet.

Was theatre always part of your career plan?
Well, I trained at Laine Theatre Arts, where I studied musical theatre and dance. Steps came along during my third year there. Because I've had that background, that training, I've got the work ethic for, and an understanding of, musical theatre. The success of Steps has opened doors, and it's given me opportunities to at least audition for certain parts. It's only when you get the part that you understand how hard the work is and what goes into a musical. And if you're part of a wonderful, hard-working cast that all gel, you can really make the show come to life.

What have been your favourite stage roles so far?
I enjoyed playing Teen Angel in Grease in the West End. Christian in Wolfboy was interesting, delving into a darker side of musical theatre. I would say that so far, though, Niko in Eurobeat: Moldova is probably my favourite character because he was so over-the-top. He was basically a red coat who thought he was Robbie Williams. Now Lance in & Juliet ticks a few boxes. There is a serious side to him when he's being very militant and straight with his son, but there's also the caring, fun, cheeky side to him when his guard comes down with Angelique. 

When it comes to your career in Steps, can you pick a few highlights?
That's a difficult one because there are so many. We had many number ones, so many hits, travelling, touring and meeting fans all over the world. I think winning a Brit Award is something to be proud of, as is getting the Attitude Icon Award. In the early days, it was Smash Hits tours and things like that, where you were in the line-up with lots of other bands. Then, when you get to do your own arena tours, that really steps things up - if you’ll pardon the pun! People are there just for you, and that can be as nervous as it is exciting. Then, of course, there's the Steps musical, Here And Now, which enjoyed huge success on its opening run at The Alexandra in Birmingham last year and will be touring up and down the country from September this year. It broke all box-office records in Birmingham, and hopefully it will continue to gather momentum and create even more success and earn more followers.

What couldn't you be without on the road?
I used to travel with a framed photo of my wife, but I need to upgrade that now to one with myself, my wife and my son, which I’ll be putting next to my bed to make things a bit more homely when staying in digs. On days off or when I have time out, I don't really like to talk a lot because I want to save my voice. I always say that I'm there to do a job, not to go out partying and ruin the voice. So I like to take my PlayStation with me and watch movies or play games.

& Juliet shows at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Monday 12 to Saturday 17 May 

on Mon, 28 Apr 2025

Matt Cardle first found fame winning the seventh series of The X Factor in 2010. A Christmas number one and UK Platinum album followed, as did other well-received records. Roles in musicals Jesus Christ Superstar, Strictly Ballroom and Memphis (opposite the Midlands’ very own Beverley Knight) took his career in another direction and earned him significant acclaim. Now, he’s playing William Shakespeare in hit musical & Juliet. What’s On recently caught up with him to find out more...

If there’s one person who epitomises theatre, it’s William Shakespeare - and singer Matt Cardle is delighted to be portraying the Bard in the current touring production of hit West End musical & Juliet.

Matt’s Shakespeare is slightly different from the one we’re used to. In the show, the bard has written the most tragic of endings for his play Romeo & Juliet - but then his wife, Anne, dares to suggest maybe a slightly more optimistic finale would be a better option!

And so the musical, which comes to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre in October, tells a different story of Juliet, a woman who decides she can actually survive without Romeo and sets off on her own journey, both in love and life.

Premiered in 2019, featuring a string of hits by Max Martin - including Baby One More Time, Since U Been Gone, It’s My Life, I Want It That Way and Roar - & Juliet has gone on to become a massive success across four continents, picking up three Olivier Awards and six WhatsOnStage Awards during its West End run.

Matt couldn’t resist having a go at playing Shakespeare. He’s joined in the cast by Gerardine Sacdalan as Juliet, Lara Denning as Anne and Dr Ranj Singh as Lance.

“Shakespeare is such an icon, so just to get the opportunity to play him in any format was amazing. Then I could see what an amazing role it was and what an amazing show it was.”
Matt says audiences needn’t worry if they’re not Shakespeare afficionados; the play is a totally new take on Juliet.

“People will have assumptions because the show is about Juliet. If you like Shakespeare and his plays, then great, you’d come along, but if you have any fear that it might be Shakespearean and you’re not into that, then that’s fine because it’s not anything to do with Shakespeare. It’s spawned from one of his plays, but that’s as far as it goes. There’s a mention of it at the beginning, but the rest is absolutely brand new - and a joy. 

“Throughout the rehearsal period you have to find your Shakespeare. I have to find how he sits in my body and how he sits in my voice and all those kinds of things, which is so much fun. We get to play and have a lot of fun finding out who he is within the guidelines of the script. I didn’t want to delve too deep into researching the real Shakespeare because this is a comedy. The show is so far removed from anything Shakespearean that it’s good to have a fresh take on everyone.”

In the role, Matt has the chance to perform some hit pop songs. 

“The first song I sing is Larger Than Life by the Backstreet Boys. There’s a lot of Shakespeare’s ego at play during that first song, and I don’t feel that I have much of an ego, if at all, so shooting off like I have one is probably the biggest challenge for me in that song.

“Then I sing Backstreet’s Back by the Backstreet Boys, which is part of the boy band scene, which is absolutely hilarious. I never thought I’d be doing that, but it’s an amazing song. Then I sing Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake.

“The way the production seamlessly uses the music of Max Martin is really quite something. Two or three of the songs come in almost as if they were the punchline of a joke. I’d never thought that would happen with Oops!...I Did It Again or I Kissed A Girl. It’s hilarious.”

Matt first shot to fame when he won television talent show The X Factor in 2010. His first single, When We Collide, charted at number one and has sold more than a million copies. In 2015 he branched out into acting, taking the role of DJ Huey Calhoun in the musical Memphis alongside Wolverhampton’s Beverley Knight.

“It was very much a baptism of fire when I did Memphis. It’s an incredible show, and it was an incredible role. It was ginormous! I was barely ever off stage in that show. I’d done little bits of acting along the way as I was growing up - not in a professional sense or barely in an amateur sense - so it was something that I didn’t know I had in me. I absolutely fell in love with it - the acting is one of the, if not the, most important parts of this whole process for me.”

Going on to play Wally Strand in Strictly Ballroom and Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar, Matt is keen to try his hand at more stage or screen work in the future.

“I love musical theatre, but I also love theatre as a whole, and I definitely would do a straight play or drama. I would love to do anything like that, but the opportunity has to be right and has to fit right with what I’m doing at the time.”

Alongside acting, Matt has continued his musical career and has been working on a new recording.
“My fifth studio album will be out on January the 10th and I can’t wait! It’s my best album by far to date, and I’m just really excited for people to hear it.”

Matt is thankful for the opportunities his X Factor win has provided. “The X Factor has done many wonderful things for me, and I look back with great fondness. It’s a tough industry, and I would say to anyone that if it really is all you’ve ever wanted and all you can do, then go for it - but you need that ‘never ever give up’ mindset. It’s really tough, but when it works out, it’s the best thing you can imagine.”

For now, Matt is looking forward to the next few months on the road with & Juliet.“I’ve toured all over the UK and Ireland and Europe so much in my life. I usually tour with just a band and a crew and people from the management and the label - and that’s like a small family - but with & Juliet, this is like a ginormous family coming with us. It’s lovely to get round and be with that family unit.

And it’s great to be with this show. It was so successful in the West End and around the world. It’s won so many awards and gained so much of a following - it has a huge fan base unlike any other I’ve known. 

“This is one of the most joyous two hours you’ll spend in a long time. It will have you laughing, it will have you crying, it will have you up dancing. The message that runs through the show is that love is love - you can love whoever you want, you can be whoever you want - set to the most iconic pop tunes of the last 20 years. I defy anyone not to have the best time ever.”

Feature by Diane Parkes

& Juliet shows at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from Monday 7 to Saturday 12 October. The hit musical then returns to the region in 2025, showing at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday 22 April to Saturday 3 May, and then at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, from Monday 12 to Saturday 17 May

on Tue, 17 Sep 2024