Episode 32: Professional work with Joshua Millard Lloyd - Part 2

This episode is Part 2 of us chatting with Josh about his professional work while at The Theatre Workshop 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Especially when Sharon Osborne was in the cast. I was like I stood there backstage and had a conversation with Sharon Osborne. Oh my god. But but y that was that's the thing, it's j it's just like just another human talking to another human. It wasn't like it was Sharon Osborne because she was so down to earth. Same with Royland, same with Danny Dyer, same with um Admiral Thomas and all these people.

SPEAKER_03 0:26

Hello and welcome to Theatre Workshop Talks. My name is Alice and I'm a teacher here at the Theatre Workshop. We have a theatre school based in Birmingham, Barnt Green, Blackwell and Bromsgrove. Here you will gain an insight to what it's like being a part of the theatre workshop. Along the way, we will be talking to TTW students, parents, teachers, and also some very special guests. Make sure you hit that subscribe button so you know when a brand new episode drops.

SPEAKER_01 0:52

Um with a film you sat around Fridays, the people are recording. Um and you know, you there might be one day where you turn up at seven, you weren't leaders until twelve in the afternoon, so you just sat around waiting.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:09

Um and also my experience is what I found with listening to the music club. There was obviously we worked with so many famous names. Um and it was it was actually quite eye-opening working with most of them because most of them were genuinely lovely, lovely people. Um and that was meeting them, and obviously being like a ten-year-old meeting Danny Dyer.

SPEAKER_03 1:42

I bet you were so starstruck.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

Exactly. Like we sp especially when Sharon Osborne was in the cast. I was like, I stood there backstage and had a conversation with Sharon Osborne. Oh my god. But but yeah it was that was that's the thing, it's just it was just like just another human talking to another human. It wasn't like it was Sharon Osborne because she was so down to earth. Same with Royland, same with Danny Dyer, same with um Adam Thomas and all these people. It was just like Craig, Craig River Horwood. He was lovely.

SPEAKER_03 2:16

Lovely, I absolutely love him.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Well, he was the villain in the Timothy Rocks.

SPEAKER_03 2:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

And he is nothing like he is on strictly. Really?

SPEAKER_03 2:28

Is he really nice?

SPEAKER_01 2:29

Oh he is the most loveliest man ever.

SPEAKER_03 2:33

So there you go, it's all act, guys. He puts it on, it's not real. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 2:39

And Celia Imri, I don't know if you know her from she's done loads of stuff on TV. But she's so down to earth. Like my parents sat when we're recording the Timothy Rocks and they had dinner with her. What? They're so down to earth these people are. So down to earth.

SPEAKER_03 3:00

Oh, that's nice.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

And obviously. Yeah, exactly. So that that they've got those memories being sat having dinner with Celia in Rick.

SPEAKER_03 3:08

Yeah, and it's not even it's not obviously there's so many wonderful memories for you, but I'm guessing your parents had so many lovely memories as well, coming to watch, coming to support, you know, taking you to auditions and stuff. So it's an experience for them as well.

SPEAKER_01 3:23

100%, 100%. And I remember at my um my I think we was in I was in Birmingham at the time doing at the rep, doing the show. And it's my nan's 70th birthday. And um our whole family, our whole family came. I mean, even the ones that live over in Pewdleigh and all that way. My whole family came over, um, and and they went and had a meal with my nan for a 70th and then came to watch me on the night. So it it's so nice for them as well, like looking back, they must have so many, so many nice memories, Alice. And we we were actually just reminiscing about it uh at my 18th a couple of days ago, um, about everything that I've done and and how it's gone so fast, but we look back with all the lovely memories, all all the pictures, all the memories, all the videos we've got from all the different venues and locations. And obviously, don't get me wrong, I mean I say I say all like so many positive memories. But I think in a couple of venues I also did get very homesick.

SPEAKER_03 4:30

Yeah, I can imagine, because you were still so young, weren't you?

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Yeah, like it it was I the the ones that I remember, the main one that I remember was it was in Leeds. Yeah, which was in the first year, which was the last venue in the first year. I was very, very, very homesick. Um and my my mum and nan had to come up up to Leeds uh and book a hotel somewhere. Um and it was in it it was snowing so hard, and I struggled to get the motorway, but they did it. Um I was very homesick. But I think you know, I I think I felt very, very comfortable and very safe with all the chaperones.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

Um I'm so comfortable and safe with them. Like they they were lovely, and I think my parents felt they were comfortable and safe, and you know, and they were. I I I didn't feel unsafe one bit with any of the chaperones.

SPEAKER_03 5:18

Yeah, that's the main thing, isn't it? When you're away from home, you need that comfort.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Yeah, and and and we we had that hundred two hundred percent, but we we had that. Um obviously that they understand as well, but no. Yeah, uh Nativity overall, the the musical and and the film was just such an incredible experience. And like I say, if I had a time machine, I would happily go back and do it one again.

SPEAKER_03 5:45

Oh, they should do like a reunion, they should do like a um how you've all grown up.

SPEAKER_01 5:51

That that to be fair, it's a really good idea, wouldn't it? That would be a great idea.

SPEAKER_03 6:00

Maybe they should she should listen to this podcast. Tella, get her up. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So after nativity, what was the next venture? What was next?

SPEAKER_01 6:12

So I did After T, which was the last year of 2019. It was like December 2019. Obviously, we all know what happened in 2020.

SPEAKER_02 6:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Um but I I I actually had a few auditions in 2020. Uh it was the very start of it. Um, but obviously that they they all got squashed because of the lockdown. Um I I did Peaky Blinders audition for that.

SPEAKER_03 6:41

Love Peaky Blinders.

SPEAKER_01 6:44

Yeah, that that I think that was my last audition before lockdown.

SPEAKER_03 6:47

You know, I haven't watched the last is it the last series that they did? Or the last film? I've never watched it. I haven't watched it. And I went on holiday in April, and there was a man there who so we went to Greece, and a man that worked in the hotel was like, Oh my god, you're from Birmingham. I love the Peaky Blinders. And then he told me what happens at the end. I won't say it because it's a spoiler. He told me what happens. Do you know what happens? No, I've never I've never watched Peaky Blinders. Oh my gosh. He told me what happens, Josh. And I'm not gonna say it because it will ruin it for you. And now I'm like, well, I feel like now I don't even need to watch it. But for the people who have seen it, they know what happens. Someone told me I was absolutely gutted. And I was like, oh wow, really? Like, yeah, I had to pretend that I wasn't infuriated by this. I had to pretend that I already knew. I was not happy. But yeah, love the peaky blinders. So we had some auditions there.

SPEAKER_01 7:46

Yeah, so then honestly, after that after that I didn't really I I kind of ventured over to music then. I'll tell you, I did I said I've missed some out, Alice. Can I can I go back in time?

SPEAKER_03 8:03

You can go back in time.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

In I think it was 2017, I did Joseph in a in in his imaginate technical retrain co at Gilworth House. Uh-huh. Um which was that was that was a it was a nice outdoor theatre. That was that was over that was in summer of that year. That was 2017 or 2018. I think it was 2018, I did that. Um and I remember we had to um we had to I I'd finished I was down in Manchester, sorry, up in Manchester with Nativity. I was recording I wanna say it's Blue Peter. And oh yeah, I missed that. Oh Alice, I've missed stuff out.

SPEAKER_03 8:50

So did you go on Blue Peter with Nativity?

SPEAKER_01 8:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Do you have a blue pizza match?

SPEAKER_01 8:56

I do, yeah. I do somewhat.

SPEAKER_03 8:59

Jealous. I'm jealous.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

I I I'll I'll come back to that after after I spoke about Joseph. Is that okay? That's okay. Yeah, yeah. So when I did Joseph, we I I remember we'd just done blue pizza with with Timothy. We had to drive down from Manchester all the way down to Leicester to Kilmouth, and because I was on a show on the night with Joseph.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

So I'd I'd got to I'd got to the venue, the show had already started. So I had to be snuck onto the stage, join the show, um, and then carry on as normal, but it was very stressful because we'd hit we'd hit some traffic on one of the most weather than we were stuck in a gridlock. So we were we were calling the chaperone saying we're stuck, we'll be back in time to somehow get it in the show. Um but but yeah, that was and that was that was the very that was very interesting experience because that that would have been that was that was an outside theatre and all the things outside were outside for that. So the way we had to do things was different, like if it was raining at certain points, yeah. Certain things couldn't be done. Or um like um I'm not sure if it would have been the same when you was in Disney, but like when when weather conditions change.

unknown 10:29

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03 10:30

Yeah, even if it's too windy, we couldn't go out on the parades because of the floats and it wasn't safe.

SPEAKER_01 10:36

Mm-hmm. So that that that was a new experience with that, we chose it. Um and and there was I I remember doing that show, there was one point right at the end. Do you know when when they do the mega mix?

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

So uh we we had to run from the stage all the way back up to our dressing rooms, which like were uh a long walk and then a run to get changed into our mega mix outfits and then run all the way back to the stage and get there on time. So that that was very fun. Uh it wasn't it wasn't like being in the theatre, there was no like official backstage changing room for the kids. So that that was another experience as well. I met new people, um, and the people were lovely, they're very posh. Obviously, I'd turn up and everyone with with with with my accent and they're all very posh because they're from Kilworth and Lutterworth. Um so yeah, that I love doing that. And then as I was saying about Blue Peter, yeah. With Nativity, something else just come to me as well. Sorry, I'm taking up the number of here. Um so we with Nativity, there was four of us picked to go on BBC Breakfast um and Blue Peter, and BBC Breakfast Breakfast was live, so we were on that live at like half seven in the morning. Um and then we went straight from those studios, because it's all in Media City in Manchester.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

So we went straight from there to the Blue Peter studio to record an episode of Blue Peter. Um so it was me, three of the kids, and Simon who played Mr. Puppet um in in the show and in the film. So that was very daunting because I'd woke up like two in the morning, I'd had to go to the coach, which was in somewhere in Coventry, um, get on the coach with everyone else and then go up to Manchester and be on live television. Which I'd never done before.

SPEAKER_03 12:52

I could not do live television.

SPEAKER_01 12:55

No script. We sat down in those red chairs after just meeting um I forget what the names are, the bloke and the woman on BBC Breakfast. Sat down in the red chairs, not even Simon had a script, no one had a script. We were we sat down and said, right, we're gonna go live and fight in in in about two or three minutes. You can see the weather over there, yeah. Just over there. Um and they started asking us questions about Missy Rocks. So we had to answer.

SPEAKER_03 13:32

Oh my god, I'd I'd just freeze.

SPEAKER_01 13:38

As uh how long have I been? That was that would have been 2018. As a nine-year-old, or ten yeah, as a nine-year-old, I was very nervous.

SPEAKER_03 13:50

I can imagine. I don't blame you, I would be nervous as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Mm-hmm. But I loved it, I loved it. And I had everyone who I knew, everyone who my parents know. They all watched it on live when when I was on. Um we got some loads of messing. So it was so lovely. Like, I'd just been on the big screen, I'd I'd just been on my celly at home and when my dad was watching it. So it was it was it was so lovely to do that. And then Blue Pizza, that was lovely because we went in and we didn't really get asked any questions about about the film or the show. Just a brief one about like, you know, what the film's about. Obviously, Mr. Poppy, the kids, and rock opera. Um and then we played a really fun game. Um, and it was like I think it was like a Christmas quiz or something we did with um do you remember Radsey with the big curly hair?

SPEAKER_03 14:45

Yes, I do. I do actually. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Mm-hmm. It was him. He was the one that interviewed us and like, you know, in uh presented the show with us. And that was very fun. That's a very, very fun experience. And then the year after that, in 2019, I'm pretty sure it was with the Tim was in the musical, we went um up to Manchester again on the coach and recorded. Um I actually think Caroline was a chaperone for that. It was I'm pretty sure I'm sure it was Caroline and Oh no, that was when we went down to London. This one in Manchester. Do you remember? Do you remember oh you won't remember her. Anyway, we went up to Manchester and we recorded the J MacDonald show uh for her Christmas special.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

My mum is obsessed with J Macdonald. Obsessed.

SPEAKER_01 15:46

Mm-hmm. So when my mum found out that we'd forgotten to do it, she was like, what? She was over the moon. So we went up up to Manchester and recorded that. Uh that was pre-recorded, that was her Christmas special. Jane, we and I met her, was lovely. Um we didn't we didn't really get to speak so much. Um who was on the same show? Uh what was it? Ali Jones and Russell Watson were on the same show.

SPEAKER_03 16:14

Oh right.

SPEAKER_01 16:15

So we briefly got to walk past them. Um we we we didn't really get to speak so much, but that was that was such an opportunity, Alice. That was such an opportunity.

SPEAKER_03 16:26

I can imagine.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

Doing live TV and pre-record stuff was just was that that was that that that that was that was something else that was that was that I I loved doing that.

SPEAKER_03 16:37

Amazing. That was so in all these years of doing your professional work, yeah. What is your biggest takeaway? If you could pick one thing, what's your biggest thing that you take away from it um I'd probably say I've got I've got oh one thing that you know what that's a good question.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

I've got a couple things, but if I had to pick one thing, oh I couldn't just pick one thing, could I just pick one thing? I've got I've got the memories from it.

SPEAKER_02 17:22

Yeah, I've got to do it.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

Because they'll last they'll they'll last me a lifetime.

SPEAKER_02 17:25

Of course, definitely, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:27

I've got the experience of all of it. And I've also got the performance side of it, because obviously being being a musician now and a performer um in my band and stuff, that I think it's I think it shaped me to, you know, have the confidence to just step out on stage. Of course, yeah. Do a gig in front of, you know, a couple hundred people.

SPEAKER_03 17:54

And also, because you've done stage musicals and stuff, you know how to work the audience. Say, I can imagine sometimes when you're doing a gig and the audience is a little bit dead, like they need a bit warming up, you know how to sort of get them off their feet and to do what I mean? So I bet that's it helps with all aspects, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 18:19

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And that that's that's exactly that's that like exactly what I meant. Like like when I when when I played the cavern, when I played the cavern in Liverpool, um they it was just me on the stage. I just I with the the the burger's performance broke his string and he went, Do you want to come and play a set? And I went, goodness make one then. And this was on Halloween in 2023. Um that that was the first time I played the cavern. And stood there on the stage of the cavern where like the Beatles have have stood. Yeah, that's insane. Away the king, tallest people stood there. It was daunting, but I stood there and I thought to myself, I've got this crowd in front of me that are expecting something now. So I've I've I've got to get them going. And um I hadn't chosen set a set list or songs at all. So I stood there and I performed a medley of four Beatles songs.

SPEAKER_03 19:15

So were you just part of the audience and he called you up?

SPEAKER_01 19:19

Yeah. But basically because we got speaking to we got speaking to I think it was I think it was the manager, because I had uh my Beatles, I had my um I've got a black denim jacket, it's got all Beatles patches all over it. And we got talking to him, and then we found out that was his son.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

Oh.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

So I he was talking to us, I went, yeah, I sing, I play guitar. And he went, Do you want to perform? Um and he didn't say that, he went, um, because he called me up, he went, he went, he went, What happened now? He went up on the stage, spoke to his dad, and obviously said something, and I I wasn't expecting to play at all, because we've been in the cabin as an audience member just just to watch. Then I um then he broke a string after playing one of his songs and went, actually, save just just talking, but we've got someone else. And then my heart had just started beating out my chest.

SPEAKER_03 20:20

Oh god, you're thinking he's talking about me.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was and then and then obviously I played and got the and we've we've got the video of it, and the the the crowd absolutely loved me. And that was a very, very surreal moment saying that I've performed in the same space, you know, as as the Kinks, as the Beatles, Oasis Adele, Quick Queen.

SPEAKER_03 20:46

Oh wow. That's insane. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:50

And then I played it again in 2025 on the other stage, which was incredible. Crowd was amazing. I did I I did I did more than just a medium. I did I did I did a few songs and and um at one point in in that set I'd asked the crowd, I went, have you got any requests? Um because most of my gigs that's what I was what I do, unless we've got a set by the band.

SPEAKER_02 21:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

Um and we we had this this Welsh woman in where she asked for stereophonics. So I stood there in the moment and I just had to um play. I played to coach in the end.

SPEAKER_02 21:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:29

Um and I I just had to do that, but that's what that that's I think doing all the all the films and the shows has really like like you said, helped me be able to work crowd and stand on there and not freeze.

SPEAKER_02 21:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:42

And like get really get the crowd going, knowing what songs and where to get the crowd going. Um so yeah.

SPEAKER_03 21:51

Yeah. Amazing. Josh, you've had a great run of professional shows, haven't you?

SPEAKER_01 21:57

I I have Alice, I've been very lucky. Very lucky to have received the experience of the channel this is.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Amazing. Well, I hope everyone has enjoyed listening to these experiences that you've enjoyed. Because we had a we obviously we did the podcast last week, but I do feel like this podcast and these topics needed its own episode. Yeah. 100%. Yeah. Amazing. Well, thank you, Josh. It's been great talking to you again today. Thank you, Alice. And we'll see you soon.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

See you soon.

SPEAKER_03 22:33

Thank you for listening to TTW Talks. We hope you enjoyed listening to this episode and look forward to hearing the next one. Make sure to follow us on Instagram at the Theatre Workshop Birmingham and TikTok at the.theatre.worksband to see all of our class and show content and all of the exciting things we get up to. Once again, thank you for listening. This has been TTW Talks.