Even after his first five weeks and seven shows a week in one of the theatre world’s biggest roles, a Helensburgh actor is still pinching himself.

Reuben Joseph is playing the lead role in the mega-hit musical Hamilton in the West End and said every day was a mix of adjusting to his new life.

“Life hasn’t felt normal for quite a whole now,” he told BBC Radio Scotland.

The 25-year-old first auditioned for the show in 2017 when he was still at Langside College in Glasgow and had been tagged by a friend on Facebook.

He was unsuccessful on his first attempt but then got called back years later.

Reuben told the BBC that he was in Macbeth at the time and was a “little dismissive” fearing being knocked back again.

But friends told him: “Don’t be a numpty - get in there.”

Reuben said: “I was a huge fan of the show. I got introduced to it during my second year in college.

“Back in the day I was just a bag of nerves but they were so kind. I think they saw I had a hunger for the show.

“I was obviously gutted but that’s the deal when you’re an actor - you have to get to grips with rejection.

“When going up for the part of Hamilton there needs to be a lack of fear.”

Made famous by the musical’s writer and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Reuben said, “Nobody could be Lin but Lin”. But each depiction of the role was unique because there was so much material to work with.

One of the founding fathers of the United States might look “dry on paper” but “it’s anything but dry”.

It is the latest achievement in a flourishing career for Reuben, who graduated from college in 2018. Since then, he has performed in the likes of The Tragedy of MacBeth (Almeida) and Midsummer for National Theatre of Scotland.

Television credits include Vigil and Traces, both on the BBC, and Crime, which is available to view on Britbox.

Reuben said Hamilton was an “affirmation of my drive to be in the show” that has “such a display of Black and Brown talent”.

He admitted that he drinks plenty of water to get through so many shows.

“The first week was a little rough - I near enough lost my voice,” he said.

“There is just so much to play. I’m so thankful to do this job and this part. It will give back as much as you want to put into it.

“Every show the audience you can feel a buzz.”

Hamilton plays at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London.