A Trinity student has been nominated for the very first Best Child Performance Award at the WhatsOnStage Awards.
First Year student Anton Vehring has been shortlist for his role as Young Thomas in The Land of the Living at the National Theatre, in which he made his stage debut last September.
Anton shared the role of Young Thomas with three other young actors in Stephen Daldry’s powerful production, which ran at the Dorfman Theatre last autumn. The play explores the moral and emotional aftermath of war and starred Juliet Stevenson as Ruth, a UN relief worker. Critics praised the production for its deeply humane storytelling and immersive staging.
Reflecting on his experience at the National Theatre, Anton said, “I felt really at home, and everyone treated me so kindly. I’ve worked with some amazing actors, and at the end of the day, I learned that the most important thing is to have fun.”
Young Thomas is a complex role, set in post-war Germany and performed across multiple languages. “He speaks only in Bavarian and Polish and sings in German, so I had to learn lines in two new languages,” Anton explained previously. “The cast felt like a family, and we all became great friends.”
Miss Robinson, Director of Drama, said, “To be nominated in the very first Best Child Performance category is a huge achievement. It is lovely that Anton and his co-stars are being recognised for their efforts as young Thomas in ‘The Land of the Living’ at the National Theatre last term. We are very proud of what he has accomplished and are looking forward to supporting him as he continues to develop his love of Drama at Trinity.”
The Best Child Performance Award is an exciting new addition to the WhatsOnStage Awards, and the category has been created in partnership with Go Live Theatre to celebrate outstanding young talent on professional stages nationwide. The winner will be announced in a special video presentation on 8 March 2026.
The Trinity community will be cheering him on as the awards approach.
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