Sam Claflin Makes a Cameo in Norwich Theatre Royal’s Wind in the Willows

Sam Claflin and some of the special guests of Norwich Theatre Royal

Sam Clalfin Photo by Denise Bradley

Sam Claflin and his brother Joe Claflin made cameo appearances in Norwich Theatre Royal’s Youth Theater Company production of Wind in the Willows last weekend. Sam and Joe are both alumni of the Norwich Theater Royal’s Theater Arts Course and were cast members of Wind in The Willows as students back in 2005. They resumed their roles to celebrate director David Lambert’s 25th show.

Sam and Joe Claflin. All photos courtesy Great Yarmouth Mercury

Great Yarmouth Mercury spoke with Sam about the experience:

Nowadays he’s more used to working on Hollywood film sets with some of cinema’s biggest names, but this week film star Sam Claflin is returning to his roots and taking to the stage at Norwich Theatre Royal.

The former Costessey High School pupil is one of a number of the theatre’s arts course alumni who have returned to mark director David Lambert’s 25th show milestone by appearing alongside current students in the show The Wind in the Willows.

Sam – known for films such as Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – actually played Ratty in the youth theatre company’s 2005 production of the riverside tale, and last night he played the older version of the character.

“It’s very nostalgic treading these boards again, without the arts course I wouldn’t be even half way to where I am now. It embraced me as a thespian and made me who I am I guess... I’m very thankful and happy to be back to celebrate,” said Sam.

About the 2005 Wind in the Willows show, he added: “It feels so long ago but at the same time it feels like only yesterday.

“It’s all been such an incredible journey from here to where I am, so it’s nice to be back... I know that I had the most fun on this stage.”

He said it was great to be a part of the on-stage reunion and to celebrate Mr Lambert’s landmark anniversary, and that it was brilliant to perform alongside his brother Joe, also a professional actor, who last night played the character of older Mole.

“It’s the first time Joe and I have acted together since we did the Sinbad the Sailor here which was 2006,” said Sam, who in 2003 also played the title role in the youth theatre company’s production of Robinson Crusoe.

Fellow alumni who joined Sam and Joe on stage last night were Daniel Burgess, who played older Toad, and Lisa Ellis, who played Mrs Otter.