The daunting life of a Les Misérables ‘swing’ actor

IMAGINE being a theatre actor who doesn’t find out what role you’re playing until five minutes before the show starts. Welcome to the life of Matt Heyward.

Supplied Editorial Production shot of Les Miserables, playing at the Capitol Theatre in 2015

IMAGINE that you’re a theatre actor. Now imagine that you don’t get told what role you’re going to play until five minutes before you have to take to the stage. Pretty daunting, huh?

Welcome to the life of Matt Heyward who is a ‘swing’ actor for Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Les Misérables which is currently playing in Sydney.

“Effectively we are a universal understudy,” explained Heyward to news.com.au about the role of swing actors.

“Whereas an understudy covers one person, we cover the entire ensemble. There’s five swings in the show: three males and two females, and between us we cover 11 mens roles and eight girls roles.”

Les Misérables has eight shows a week in Sydney, and Heyward’s role tends to vary most nights.

He could be playing the factory foreman one day, 24 hours later he could be taking to the stage as one of the students who rallies behind Enjolras for the revolution or you might see him as one of the crooks in Thénardier’s gang.

“Sometimes we’re told what our role is at the half-hour call, sometimes at the five minute call. And sometimes it’s halfway through the show due to things like illness.”

Matt Heyward can play up to 11 roles in Les Misérables.

So how does he remember the lines and different harmony vocal parts for up to 11 different characters?

“You spend a lot of time in rehearsals taking notes,” said Heyward, “We just keep going over and over and over it”.

“During the rehearsal process when everybody is up on the floor learning, the swings sit behind a desk and take copious amounts of notes and try to take it all in. Then we just cross our fingers and hope for the best.”

And there’s no safety net either. If they forget one of their lines on stage, they don’t have anyone feeding them what to say through their earpieces.

“You have to problem solve pretty quickly,” he said.

“Everyone works through it together to make it as seamless as possible for the audience.

“I’m pretty lucky in that my brain hasn’t failed me yet.”

Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of LES MISÉRABLES currently playing at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre before its Brisbane season from November at QPAC’s Lyric Theatre.

Tickets on sale now from: www.lesmis.com.au

Originally published as The daunting life of a Les Misérables ‘swing’ actor