“I just saw this character and thought, ‘that’s the fit, that’s me – it’s like I was looking at myself!”

Unusually, the first time Tom Boncey encountered the vulnerable but fabulous Angel, the character he plays in our production of Rent, was while playing that same character’s lover in a college version of the musical!

“I was Tom Collins in that show, but when I heard BATS were doing Rent, I knew I had to be Angel. I really focussed on bringing the right kind of energy to the audition. But I was also thinking, “out of the way, that part is mine!”

Angel is a performance artist and street musician who becomes the pillar of a community of fellow creatives in New York’s East Village. Rent follows a year in their lives. It’s a powerful and uplifting story of friendship, love, survival and living for today – with heartbreak along the way.

Once he got the part, Tom began to realise the scale of the challenge ahead.

“It’s full-on. Angel is one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ characters in musical theatre and goes through a huge emotional journey. I’ve really had to access those feelings inside myself. In the song I’ll Cover You, there’s a very vulnerable moment where they first have physical contact with Tom.”

“I’ve also been building up my stamina for the dancing which is really challenging. But I’ve really been encouraged to explore the depths to this character by the director Louise and her assistant Ian, and I like the version of Angel that we’ve created together.”

“The show is very relatable. These characters are struggling and a lot of people are facing similar issues today with the cost of living crisis.”

“On a personal level, I’m an openly gay person, playing an openly gender-neutral person, and I love the fact that Rent celebrates diversity in all its forms.”

See Tom in Rent at the Haymarket from 16th-20th May 2023. Book tickets online.