Carl Au

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Carl Au
Born (1987-03-24) 24 March 1987 (age 37)[1][2]
Occupations
  • Actor
  • dancer
  • singer
Years active1998–present

Carl Au (born 24 March 1987) is a British actor, dancer, and singer. Having begun his career aged eleven, he appeared in multiple musical productions, before receiving a scholarship at

The Stephen Sondheim Society Prize for Student Performer of the Year, making him the inaugural recipient.[4] After graduating, Au returned to stage productions, primarily in the West End of London
.

He was cast in the BBC drama Waterloo Road in 2012 as troublesome student Barry Barry, marking his first television credit. He left the series over a year later and experienced guest roles in television series. Since then, he has experienced roles in plays Bright Phoenix, Ostrich Boys, and High Fidelity, as well as being cast in a lead role in the 2017–2018 touring production of Cilla The Musical. Au released his first single, "Uncle", in November 2020. In 2023 he appeared in Doctors on BBC1. Series 24, episode 127 'Tears for Souvenirs'.

Early life

Au was born on 24 March 1987,

Arts Educational Schools, London,[6] where he graduated in 2008.[4]

Career

Au began his stage career aged eleven.

2009 Brit Awards as one of the Pet Shop Boys dancers[11] and has also performed with Lady Gaga.[12]

The actor played the role of Nephew Fred in the 2009 production of A Christmas Carol at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.[13] In March 2010, Au's casting as the mute in The Fantasticks was announced; the production began in the West End in May.[13] Between September and October 2010, Au appeared in the West End production of Bells Are Ringing at the Union Theatre, London; he portrayed Carl.[14] In December 2010, it was announced that Au would join the West End cast of Jersey Boys as Joe Pesci, from 15 March 2011.[15] At the Freedom Bar in London, the actor joined other West End actors in a one-night showcase of composer David Are songs, Slip Into Your Skin, on 18 March 2012.[16]

In 2012, Au was cast in the

high heels.[3] The actor told Kate Forrester of the Liverpool Echo that he relished the chance to "dance, sing and act all at the [same] time".[3]

After leaving Waterloo Road, Au moved to London where he moved into a flat with friends. Shortly after, he auditioned for the lead, Alan 'Icarus' Flynn, in the play Bright Phoenix at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool.[7] The play ran throughout October 2014.[20] Au enjoyed returning to theatre as he liked "the adrenaline that you can get from the audience".[7] Au guest-starred in an episode of BBC medical drama Casualty in September 2014,[21][22] and the following year, he appeared in an episode of Doctors as anxiety sufferer Karl Moran.[21] In 2016, Au was cast in the Till Death Us Do Part episode of The Lost Sitcoms series. He was delighted to be cast as his late grandfather was a fan of the sitcom.[2] That same year, the actor appeared in the Belgrade Theatre's production of Ostrich Boys. George Attwell of The Stage called the actor's performance "cartoonish yet consistently funny".[23] Au was cast as Bobby in the 2017 touring production of Cilla The Musical, a biopic musical about the early career and music of Cilla Black.[24] In September 2019, it was announced that Au would star as Dick in the UK premiere of the musical High Fidelity at the Turbine Theatre, running between October and December 2019.[25]

Au released his debut single, "Uncle", on 1 November 2020, under the stage name Au.[26] He announced the single two days prior to its release on his social media accounts. It is about him learning that he is about to be an uncle, and was released on his nephew's due date.[27][28] Then in November 2023, Au returned to Doctors, but in the role of Josh Harker.[29]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
2012–2014 Waterloo Road Barry Barry Regular role [17]
2013
Let's Dance For Comic Relief
Melanie C [3]
2014 Casualty Danny Smith Guest role [21]
2015 Doctors Karl Moran Guest role [21]
2016 The Lost Sitcoms Mike Rawlins Till Death Us Do Part special [2]
2023 Doctors Josh Harker Guest role [29]

Stage

Year Production Role Location Ref(s)
Un­known Copperfield Un­known Un­known [6]
2002 Her Benny Young Benny Liverpool Empire Theatre [6]
2005 Lorenzo's Quest Lorenzo Crosby Civic Hall [6]
2006–2007 Robin Hood and The Babes in the Wood Un­known
Bournemouth Pavilion
[8]
2008 High School Musical on Stage! Ensemble Hammersmith Apollo [9]
2008–2009 Sleeping Beauty Ensemble Oxford Playhouse [8]
2009 A Christmas Carol Nephew Fred Birmingham Repertory Theatre [13]
2010 The Fantasticks The mute The Duchess Theatre [13]
2010 Bells Are Ringing Carl Union Theatre, London [14]
2011 Jersey Boys Joe Pesci Prince Edward Theatre [15]
2012 Slip Into Your Skin Himself Freedom Bar, London [16]
2014 Bright Phoenix Alan 'Icarus' Flynn Everyman Theatre, Liverpool [7]
2016 Ostrich Boys Sim Belgrade Theatre [23]
2017–2018 Cilla The Musical Bobby Touring production [24]
2019 High Fidelity Dick Turbine Theatre [25]

Discography

As lead artist

Title Year Album Ref(s)
"Uncle" 2020 Non-album single [26]

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Result Ref(s)
2007
The Stephen Sondheim Society
The Stephen Sondheim Society Prize for Student Performer of the Year Won [4]

References

  1. ^ a b Au, Carl [@carl_au] (24 March 2015). "Thanks for my birthday tweets guys!! Feelin' the love" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c d Shennan, Paddy (28 August 2016). "Kirkby actor recreates 'randy Scouse git' role for return of Till Death Us Do Part". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e Forrester, Kate (22 February 2013). "Kirkby-born Waterloo Road star Carl Au laces up dancing shoes for Comic Relief". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. ^
    The Stephen Sondheim Society. Archived
    from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  5. ^ Au, Carl [@carl_au] (29 January 2021). "I'm proud of my heritage being a mix of British and Chinese origin. And with some Irish too. But when people of mixed heritage still hear the "You're not white enough" line.. things have got to change. #BAME #experience" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  6. ^
    The Free Library
    .
  7. ^
    Hearst Magazines UK. Archived
    from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  8. ^
    Bournemouth Echo
    . Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ^ a b Shenton, Mark (28 June 2008). "Disney's High School Musical Makes London Premiere June 28". Playbill. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. BBC Oxford
    . 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Waterloo Road". BBC Online. BBC. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  12. ^ Davy-Osborne, Stephen (14 March 2018). "REVIEW: No Surprise Surprise for Cilla's opening night success". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d "Lorna Want and Luke Brady Lead Cast of The Fantasticks". BroadwayWorld. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Marc Antolin, Carl Au Join Bells Are Ringing At Union Theatre". BroadwayWorld. 7 September 2010. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Jon Lee Joins Cast Of Jersey Boys UK On March 15, 2011". BroadwayWorld. 7 December 2010. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Sharon D. Clarke and Carley Stenson to Star in Slip Into Your Skin, London, March 18". BroadwayWorld. 13 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  17. ^
    Hearst Magazines UK. Archived
    from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  18. from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  19. ^ Moodie, Clemmie (5 September 2013). "School Daze; How I spent a day as an extra on kids' TV hit show.. and ended up as class dunce; Exclusive: Our Clemmie joins Waterloo Road". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  20. ^ Meads, Glenn (3 September 2014). "Cast: Everyman's Bright Phoenix". WhatsOnStage.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  21. ^
    Hearst Magazines UK. Archived
    from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  22. ^ Mark Catley (writer); Joss Agnew (director); Jonathan Phillips (producer) (20 September 2014). "Home". Casualty. BBC. BBC One. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  23. ^ a b Attwell, George (14 September 2016). "Ostrich Boys". The Stage. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  24. ^ a b Bowie-Sell, Daisy (30 August 2017). "Full casting for Cilla the Musical". WhatsOnStage.com. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Oliver Ormson and full cast announced for the UK première of High Fidelity: A Musical". BestofTheatre.co.uk. 24 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  26. ^ a b Au, Carl [@carl_au] (31 October 2020). "Uncle Out Tomorrow. 01.11.2020 #madewithlove #forthelittleone #NicnJohn #Uncle #Au" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ Au, Carl [@carl_au] (30 October 2020). "*ANNOUNCEMENT* Those photos I've posted tell their story but are a part of a much bigger story. My beautiful Sister is due to have her first child – expecting on 1st November 2020. Anytime now!! As well as making things, i wrote a song I'd like to dedicate to the bun in the oven" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  28. ^ Au, Carl [@carl_au] (30 October 2020). "Nic and John, and hope it resonates with anyone who has children, brothers and sisters, aunties and uncles, and grandparents. The song tells my story from when I first heard the news from a soon-to-be Uncles perspective. I hope you enjoy! Out on their due date: 1st November x" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ a b Timblick, Simon. "Doctors spoilers: Bear Sylvester saves a life!". Retrieved 21 November 2023.