Layton Williams chats to the Adver about his role in Hairspray at Bristol next month

For those who don’t know, what’s the story of Hairspray?

Hairspray is a show for everyone! It is loosely based on a true story. Set in 1960s Baltimore, Hairspray is about a girl called Tracy Turnblad who dreams of being on this dance show, The Corny Collins Show. But, Tracy is not allowed on the show because they say she is too big and she doesn’t look like the people that are already on the show. Tracy meets my character, Seaweed, in detention and through dancing he gives Tracy the confidence and belief in herself that you can do what you want no matter who you are, where you are from or what you look like. Eventually Tracy gets on The Corny Collins Show and realises that it’s not just her that has been denied approval. She begins to fight for Seaweed and his friends to be able to dance with her on The Corny Collins Show. We all riot together for equality and to make The Corny Collins Show integrated. It’s an incredibly fun show but also spreading a really important message at the same time. It’s a really fabulous show for everybody!

Could you tell us about Seaweed J Stubbs and what attracted you to the role?

We first meet Seaweed J Stubbs in detention with Tracy. He is a very welcoming character and open to everyone regardless of whether it is seen as cool or not. He is very different to the way I am in life and from the last role I just did which was playing a drag queen in RENT. That’s what attracted me to the role of Seaweed. It’s really important for me to be able to switch up what I am doing and not play the same kind of roles all the time because as an actor you want to be versatile. I was actually quite nervous about playing Seaweed! I have been running around in heels with my lashes, my wigs and my lipstick for a whole year so I was very much in that mind set but I thought it would be nice to switch it up, pop on my trousers, get myself a girlfriend and have that different vibe. There are vocal challenges to the role of Seaweed as well – the songs are high and packed full of energy which I have been really enjoying this time round. Singing is something that only now am I starting to become confident with as a performer. With Seaweed, I thought I might as well throw myself in at the deep end and learn to sing these big songs…8 shows a night! I am really, really enjoying those challenges and that’s what it was that drew me in to playing Seaweed. Obviously, in the last tour I was understudy for it but didn’t really get the chance to put my stamp on it and now I feel like I have done that.

Why do you think Hairspray has such an enduring appeal? Why is it still so relevant to 2017?

I think no matter when the show has been out or when the movies have been aired, it has always been a relevant time whether that is today, 10 or 30 years ago. We have always been going through struggles, there is always some sort of craziness going on in the world so we need that release. People need that 2-3 hours of being able to laugh and cry and be entertained and I think Hairspray is the perfect show for that.

If anyone is not familiar with the show, how would you describe it in three words?

Hairspray is bubbly, energetic and passionate.

Do you have a favourite moment or song in the show? Why?

I think my favoruite moment in the show has to be Run and Tell That. As a performer you want to go out there and really do your thing and Run and Tell That is my chance to do that. I get to show the audience what I am made of during that song. It’s a hugely important part of the story too; Seaweed is telling the world about this lifestyle and bringing those other people into that world which is what we should all be doing. It’s also one of the the moments in the show where we really get to dance too, it’s such a good vibe for us and the audience. We always want to create that energy throughout the show for the audience, every night, but especially during Run and Tell that because that’s when they really feel it.

Of the upcoming dates in 2018, is there a city on there you are looking forward to visiting?

Manchester! It’s where everything happened for me so I am definitely excited about Manchester. I am from a little town called Bury in Greater Manchester and Manchester is my closest city so it’s always incredible to go back to where I am from and perform. Being able to perform there for two weeks is going to be iconic. All my family and friends are going to be there, so it’s going to be really special.

What do you consider your greatest achievement or highlight of our career away from the stage?

One of my biggest highlights probably has to be the night I had my movie premiere for Bad Education. It was one of those times where I was just looking around and pitching myself. All my best friends were there, including my best friend, Jordan Laviniere, who is playing Duane in Hairspray. I saw my best friends on the red carpet and that was the moment it hit me that I was at a movie premiere and one of the lead actors in the film. I had never expected that to come of a show I had been in since I was 14. Even if that doesn’t ever happen again, which hopefully it will, I’m happy to say I have ticked that box. As a performer there are certain things that I set out to do, whether it’s a film, a music video, or a musical and that was a definite highlight of mine.

While you have been on tour with the show, you have been doing a series of dance workshops around the country, could you tell us a bit about them and what inspired you to set up DanceWithLayton?

I started DanceWithLayton when I was about 16. I had been working with my school, Italia Conti teaching and assisting at one of their associate schools in Ruislip for many years. They started giving me my own classes and students to teach which is how I got into teaching. After a few years I thought I needed to spread my wings and maybe teach elsewhere, they have little associate schools everywhere all over the country so I started touring and DanceWithLayton developed from there. It was as simple as me offering a workshop, whether it was a general workshop or something from or inspired by the show I was in at the time. Even if it was just to have a little jig and meet the students then I could come! And it just popped off. Since then, it’s been the only job I do aside from my stage and screen work. I have always wanted to do something that was fulfilling for me, kept me in the game, fit and healthy but also hopefully inspire other people. Through DanceWithLayton I have got to meet thousands and thousands of kids and dancers around the country, I wouldn’t be able to count how many people I have taught over the years, so it’s really fab. It’s something I want to keep on doing until I get too tired which is why I have introduced other teachers because when I get too tired they can do it for me – ha!

You continue to work with some incredible organisations, how did you get involved with this line of work?

The first organisation I worked with was a charity called Stonewall. I read about them online and had known someone who had been doing the Stonewall Role Model Visits. Through solider, James Wharton, I began working with them and doing Role Model visits myself. The Role Model Visits were set up by Stonewall to have people go into schools, speak to the kids and be a LGBTQI role model for them. It’s important because there might be one kid in that assembly that wants to come out or be themselves but is scared of getting bullied so having somebody like myself talking about it to them could give them the confidence to come to terms with their sexuality or give them hope. The first time I did it I was 18, it was really scary because I remember standing up in front of all these kids, feeling like a kid at the time myself. I did a few of the Stonewall Role Model visits over the years and then I started working with The Diana Award on their anti-bullying campaign. Being bullied at school is not cool, at all. It’s important to learn not just to stand up to the bullies but also understand why it is happening, how to help and to not be a bystander and let it go unheard of. If you hear something or are aware of something going on, go up to that person and ask if they want help etc. Being an ambassador for those people, being someone that hopefully they can look up to is so important to me. If I can help them in any way or use the platform that I somehow have, then I would love to. I’m just trying to use my time wisely, I guess! I do wish I had more time to do it, with work being so busy and being on tour with multiple shows every week it is hard to get back into it. But, that’s how it all started really.

2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the original film starring Ricki Lake, Debbie Harry (Blondie) and Jerry Stiller on which the musical is based, if you could adapt any film into a musical which one would it be?

Oh! I have always said Moulin Rouge, I think they have just started make that into a musial now now for Broadway but that was my choice for ages. Imagine what a musical that would be!