Spotlight On YAFies: Michael Lin

Michael Lin 
West End performer

You were involved in several HKYAF productions when you were younger. Can you share a moment at HKYAF that you still think about now?

All my experiences with HKYAF have been so joyful and memorable and have really shaped the experiences that I’ve carried through into my professional career. But if I were to pick one particular moment, it’d be Disco Inferno. It was the first time I had a solo singing part where I had to lead that funny song called “Kissing in the Back Row”, and I remember feeling quite proud of myself. 

What was the biggest challenge moving from Hong Kong to the UK theatre scene?

HKYAF and other theatres in Hong Kong gave me the foundation and experience of what it would be like to perform in the UK, so doing it in the UK felt familiar. The main differences were getting paid, managing my money, and stricter rules. 

For example, working with children is a very, very strict thing in the UK. You have to have chaperones when you’re under 18, and you can’t just go anywhere you like backstage and hang out with everyone. There’s even training before shows about how to be around kids. Where I grew up in Hong Kong, it was more relaxed. So I think that was a big adjustment, but a very necessary and important one.

Can you share a memorable experience on the West End's stage?

Performing Anything Goes after COVID at the Barbican Centre in London was memorable. On our first show night when we finished the big number of Act One, the standing ovation we got from the audience was nothing like I’ve ever felt before, especially after two and a half years of lockdown. 

More recently, being part of highly popular musicals like Sunset Boulevard and Evita, I just felt very fortunate, and hearing the audience’s appreciation while also realising where I’m at in my career was really special.

You’ve performed in major West End productions like Evita and West Side Story. Which audition stood out as the most memorable, and why?

Now that you’ve mentioned West Side Story, I remember the director asked me to walk out of the room, give myself 10 seconds, and then come back in as Chino discovering his friend had been stabbed. It was the first time I’d done something so raw, and I remember it fondly. 

How did your family background in dance and theatre influence you in pursuing a career in the performing arts?

Obviously, I was exposed to theatre from a young age. My mum, a dance teacher and lecturer, gave me experience and understanding of performing and dance. My dad is a musician, and the two of them gave me a musical ear. Their love for music and dance shaped my upbringing and they passed that passion on to me.

If you had an audition tomorrow, how would you plan your day before it?

I like to go to the gym the day before, not on the audition day, to feel ready for a physical audition but not tired and sore. 

If it’s a dance audition, I try to make my day as normal as possible – have a good sleep, have a good breakfast, do warm-up and breathing exercises to feel calm but also welcome the anxiety and nervousness because you need some of that for the audition. If it’s a singing or acting audition, I drill the material and at least sing the song or do the scene once properly on the day so I go into the audition room prepared. Even if you’re asked to try another direction, you can do that without worrying about what the words are or what the song is.

Is there anything else you think auditionees should know before stepping into the audition room?

It really is about showcasing who you are and what you can bring to the table, not about copying other people. Sometimes nerves can get in the way, but just know that the panel always wants you to do well, so it’s important to be as prepared as you can be. It is also about showing who you are to work with as a person, so show that you’re employable and workable.

And for singing or acting auditions specifically, rehearse the piece fully. Read it with someone, or sing the song as if you’re on stage, not just in your head.

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