Q&A with Aiden Champion, Actor at the City Lit Theatre Company

 — The City Lit Theatre Company are back in the John Lyon's Theatre this July with a new production of Shakespeare's Macbeth. 

• We caught up with actor Aiden Champion, who will play the role of Macbeth. 

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself?

A: My name’s Aiden and I’m a working-class actor originally from Essex. I am currently working on my second production with the City Lit Theatre Company and I’m also an alumnus of City Lit and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

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Q: What role does acting play in your life?

A: My passion for the arts developed at an early age as my mother was a stylist and artist, she would take me to cinema a lot and I think my passion for film stemmed from that. My uncle was also a very big influence on me, he’s an actor and I was very fortunate to see him onstage and screen from an early age which further fuelled my passion for the arts.

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an actor is that I get to tell a story and I get to transform into someone else; and hopefully translate their life into other people’s lives. For me there’s nothing quite like the sensation of performing live in front of an audience. It’s like all these emotions mixed into one.

Q: Why did you choose City Lit?

A: As an artist I think City Lit is a very safe place. But importantly it’s also a place that really pushes you. Where you’re fortunate enough to be able to work on things such as the Scottish play and to get that exposure to what it’s like to go to a bigger, more formal drama school. The facilities are great, the staff are incredible; all the city lit drama department are both incredibly supportive but also, they push you at the same time.

I feel very fortunate to be working with our brilliant director Jayne Denny. I think it’s going to be a very exciting production.

It’s such an exciting character to work on and for me that’s the joy of Shakespeare.

Q: Tell us more about the show and your role?

A: The upcoming show is a production of the Scottish play (Macbeth) which is ironically the first play that I saw when I was young and, in my opinion, probably one of the greatest plays every written. Macbeth has everything in it that you would want from a play: love, hate, revenge, betrayal, adventure, murder and even witches… what more could you want?

 It’s a very interesting piece to work on and I feel very lucky that I’ve been given the opportunity to have a go at the Scotsman (Macbeth) himself. As an actor I think the role is probably one that you’d always aspire to take on.

Q: What do you enjoy most about coming to City Lit?

A: One of the main reasons I first came to City Lit was because it was accessible in terms of fees. If it wasn’t for places like City Lit that offer these platforms to work within the arts, I think a lot of people would miss out on the opportunity.

The magical thing about City Lit is that it’s this unique place down a quiet road in Holborn but it gives people that might not necessarily have the opportunity otherwise, to explore their passion for the arts.

I know for certain that my time studying at City Lit is the reason why I am in receipt of formal training and has fuelled me as I push further into pursuing what I love.

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