Steven Webb

Stephen: (on getting his role in "Oliver!") There was this massive hunt across the U.K. for someone to play Oliver!. I saw the ad in the paper myself for an open audition. I didn't even know who Sam Mendes was, but they had his name in bold italics, so I thought he must be someone. After about six months of recalls, they decided I was too young. I was completely dispirited—why couldn't they have said that in the first place? Then, just before they opened the show, they called again and said they'd love me to take over when the original Oliver left.

Stephen: I moved into a house share with some friends not long after I left school. I was just coming up to 17 at the time, but was already living and working and paying my own rent. And I've not had to be a waiter, yet, which is lucky… but there's always time.

Steven: (on his role in the play "History Boys") I don't really want to say that, because it is Sam's, really. But I like to hold onto the fact that I'm the second Posner—there haven't been eight. And I'm also the first in the West End.