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DIRECTORS PLEASE NOTE - Biographical details of
the actors who have worked with Rain or Shine can be found below, together with links to
their CV's, photos and contact details available for download in Acrobat pdf
format. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat on your PC, click on this link
James has appeared in numerous productions in Britain, Europe and Canada. Most recently he directed Romeo and Juliet at the Cheltenham Everyman Studio (with Craig Rogers as Romeo). He has performed leading roles in 22 of Shakespeare's works. A selection includes: Macbeth, Petruchio, Brutus, Antipholus, Romeo, Laertes, Bassanio, Oberon, Iago and Berowne. Last year he played the anarchic Launcelot Gobbo in Der Kaufmann von Venedig (The Merchant of Venice) at the ETA Hoffmann Theater, Bamberg, in German - a language he does not speak. Other productions include: Private Lives, Relatively Speaking, Time and Time Again, The Importance of Being Earnest, The School for Scandal, The Caretaker, Wuthering Heights, Dracula and A Life in the Theatre. Films/TV: Twelfth Night documentary (Open Mind/Channel 4); Second Sight, Road to Nowhere, Tristan (Murlin Films); Machiavelli in Dinner in Purgatory; the US President in 21st Century Faust. CDs: Cymbeline/The Merry Wives of Windsor (Arkangel/Penguin books); Shakespeare for Children (RSC/Pavilion books). He regularly acts with the Globe Players, New Triad TC, Traffic of the Stage (also as a director), and has directed all the Rain or Shine productions to date. In spite of frequent work in the West Country he still hasn’t made it onto the set of Casualty. (May 2008)
Born and bred in Gloucester, Jayne trained at the Rose Bruford College
before Rupert trained at Mountview Theatre School. His theatre credits include; for The Ninagawa Company Touta in Tango at the End of Winter (West End), and The Tempest and Peer Gynt at the RSC. Other roles include Proteus in The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Rain or Shine TC), Moore in Contradance (Theatre Alba), Caiaphas in The King of Fools (Passion Pit TC), Malvolio in Twelfth Night (Gloriana Productions), Isaacher in Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for Bill Kenwright, and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Malcolm in Macbeth, Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, and the title role in Hamlet (all for Traffic of the Stage). For Arkangel Shakespeare on tape, he can be heard reading various parts in Cymbeline, Trolius & Cressida, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Rupert’s television credits include Eastenders, The King’s Servant, The Queen’s Lover and Hard Times for BBC. (revised May 2001)
Justin read Classics Greats at Oxford, where his roles with O.U.D.S. included Iago (Othello), the title role in Jonson's Volpone and Sir Thomas More (A Man For All Seasons). He trained subsequently at Drama Studio London, graduating with honours in 1992. Since then, he has worked extensively as an actor, musician, writer and director all over the UK and beyond, with theatre credits including: Richard Smythe in Graham Greene's The End Of The Affair (Salisbury Playhouse & London); the title role in Shakespeare's Pericles, directed by James Roose-Evans (UK tour & Riverside Studios); a spell of two years playing Ritchie Valens in the hit West End musical Buddy (Victoria Palace & Strand Theatres); the Mock Turtle in Alice in Wonderland (London open-air season & Oxford Playhouse); Rispolozhensky in Ostrovsky's A Family Affair (Tabard Theatre, London); the Clown in All's Well That Ends Well and the Host of the Garter in Merry Wives of Windsor (UK tours, Festival Players T.C.); the Lunatic in the British premiere of Dusan Kovacevic's The Professional (Offstage Downstairs) and the Jongleur in his own one-man show The Birth of the Jongleur, commissioned for the 1995 Greenbelt Arts Festival. Film & TV credits include: Spurio in The Revenger's Tragedy; Too Far (dir. Ben Hopkins); The Blood That's In You (BBC2, dir. Sue Dunderdale); Heart & Soul (BBC1). Radio credits include: Pontius Pilate in The Story Of Jesus and various roles in A Christmas Carol (dir. Dirk Maggs, both for Audio Movies). As a writer, Justin achieved notoriety with the 1995 UK cathedral tour of his passion play Passion - Or The King Of Fools, which culminated at Westminster Abbey on Good Friday 1995, and hit the national headlines the following day. It is to be performed again at the 25th annual Greenbelt Arts Festival later this year, and is now being prepared for publication. Current commissions include a new mystery play, Millennium Man, for the diocese of Bath & Wells, which will tour the UK and be performed in the Millennium Dome in the year 2000. Justin lives in London with his wife Nancy and baby son Benedict. (revised June 1998)
David’s theatre credits include: for Rain or Shine, Ford in The Merry Wives Of Windsor, Costard in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Sir John Brute The Provoked Wife, Hardcastle She Stoops to Conquer, Peter Teazle School for Scandal, Bob Acres The Rivals, Angelo The Comedy of Errors and The Duke of Milan Two Gentlemen of Verona; for Sheringham Little Theatre, George in Chapter Two, Sebastian in In Praise of Love, Roger in One for the Road; at Colwyn Bay, Graham in A Chip in the Sugar, Al in April in Paris, Colin in Absent Friends, The Man in Two, Windscape in Quartermaine’s Terms, Cliff in Look Back in Anger; for the Sherman Theatre, Chorus in Henry V, Templeton in Charlotte’s Web, Old Man/Boy in The Elves and the Shoemakers; for Made in Wales Theatre Company, Roger Spivey in Baywatch Cymru, Test/Collins in My Piece of Happiness; and many other repertory, touring, fringe and BBC Radio productions. (revised July 2006)
Robin trained at Central. She previously appeared with Rain Or Shine in Two
Gentlemen Of Verona and The Rivals. Other open air productions include The Merry
Wives Of Windsor, All's Well That Ends Well and The Winter's Tale (Festival
Players), As You Like It (Shakespeare In Provence), Daisy Pulls It Off, The
School For Scandal and The Winslow Boy (Gawsworth Hall) and Bard Unbound (Tower
of London). Other theatre work includes Arms And The Man and The Miser (Michael
Friend Productions UK tour), Twelfth Night (Gloriana UK tour) and Martin
Chuzzlewit (Belgrade, Coventry). Television work includes Playdays, The Hill,
Oscar Charlie and Charred And Dangerous, all for the BBC. She also played
Elizabeth in a dramatised audio-recording of Pride And Prejudice. Robin has sung
in the chorus in many operas and concerts both here and abroad, and recently
recorded a CD with the Equity Choir. (revised May 2004)
Julia has a degree in English Literature from Leeds University and trained at East 15 Acting School. Her theatre experience includes the parts of Rosalind in As You Like It for 'Shakespeare in Provence', Gill in the medieval mystery play Mak The Sheepstealer (Globe Theatre Co.), Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mrs. Cratchit in A Christmas Carol - all for 'Image Theatre Company', Portia in The Merchant of Venice for 'Festival Players Theatre Co.', Popova in The Bear and Natalya in The Proposal for 'Full House Theatre Co.', Miranda in Love at a Loss, Winnifride in The Witch of Edmonton (Pro Productions), and Ingrid in Peer Gynt at the Young Vic. This year Julia has been devising and directing local history plays for Small Fry Theatre Company and has been involved in a series of murder mystery weekends, both as a performer and writer. Her film and TV experience includes London's Burning, and the lead role in Jackpot, soon to be shown on Channel 4. (revised June 1998) Trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Robert is no stranger to open air Shakespeare. Over twelve years with Pendley Shakespeare Festival and two with the Festival Players, his roles have included Macbeth, Petruchio, Leontes, Brutus and Malvolio. More recently Robert has appeared as Ghosts, Marley and Mrs. Cratchet in A Christmas Carol (Barebones Theatre), toured London and Edinburgh in Hansel & Gretel, Holland and Germany in The Importance of Being Earnest. Rob has also been heard on BBC Radio, appeared on film in The Wicker Man and on BBC TV’s 999 Lifesavers. (revised June 1999) Robert trained at the Drama Studio in London. His most recent credits are as Rick in Sadhana (Finborough Theatre) The Long-Shore Patrolman in A Saint She Ain’t (Kings Head, Islington), Romeo in Romeo & Juliet (for Shakespearean Young People’s Theatre Company and also in Shakespeare For Breakfast at last summer’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe and The Good Thief in Barrabas at the Chelsea Centre Theatre. (revised June 1999) Mostyn trained at Mountview Theatre School on the musical theatre course, graduating with a degree in performance. He has since performed as in the original cast of Orpheus, and played Norman Parsley and Goddard in the original cast of Let Him Have Justice (The Cochrane Theatre) and can be heard in the Original West End cast recording. Mostyn has danced with Graham Lauren ‘in cabaret’ at the Talk of The Town and both choreographs and teaches at Wild Creative Arts Theatre School in South London. (revised June 1999)
Born and brought up in Sussex, Nigel trained at The Academy in London. His theatre work includes three tours of Germany, in which he appeared as Bardolph in Lettice & Lovage and Mr Toad in The Wind in the Willows, a tour of Italy last year in which he played Lucky in Waiting for Godot , commercial pantos at Wimbledon and Croydon and London productions of A Night Out, Journey's End, his self penned one-person play Bash! and, most recently, the role of John Aston in Steve Gooch's new play Passed On. Other Shakespeare roles include The Clown in The Winter's Tale for Logos Theatre this year, Snout-Starveling in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Chelsea Centre, and Angelo in Two Way Mirror Theatre's production of The Comedy of Errors. TV/Film work includes roles in The Bill and Grange Hill, as well as a few commercials, corporate and pop videos. (revised June 1999) Josie studied French and Theatre Studies at the University of Warwick, also managing to fit in various spells abroad as a cabaret dancer in Japan, Morocco, Egypt and India, before going on to train at Mountview in London. Now, after 5 years away from the fold, Ms Lamb finally returns to the bosom of Rain or Shine to fulfil her theatrical destiny as a middle-aged Welsh parson. Having spent the last 7 months performing to school children of varying degrees of consciousness amongst the sunny climes of Spain, Italy and... err.. Belgium, she is understandably delighted to return to a summer of British weather and licensing laws. Her previous roles as Adriana in The Comedy of Errors, Lucy The Rivals (Rain or Shine) and such others as 3rd (!) Witch in Macbeth, Olivia in Twelfth Night, Mayoress in The Happy Prince and Claire in The Maids - will surely pale into insignificance in the face of such a natural and authentically-accented portrayal. (revised May 2005)
Pippa trained in Musical Theatre at The Hammond, Chester and has since toured around the UK and Europe with productions of Taudevin (Dance Company), singing the lead roles in excerpts from Wicked and Thoroughly Modern Millie; Macbeth (New Triad), playing Young Siward, Witch, Fleance, Donalbain and Young Macduff, in which she was killed more times than she cares to remember; as Buttons in Cinderella (Chaplins Pantomimes); Ernie in Sleeping Beauty (Golden Egg Productions); and Cornet in The Provoked Wife (Rain or Shine). Her TV and film credits include Woof!, Casualty, Martin Chuzzlewit, the title sequence in the Welsh children’s programme Pump!, and most recently the lead role in Sweet Dreams. Pippa is delighted to be returning for her fourth stint with Rain or Shine after her successes as Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Olivia in last year’s Twelfth Night. She is once again looking forward to the summer sun, but just in case there’s a repetition of last year’s deluge she has invested in a snorkel and experimental research into creating webbed feet and gills. www.pippameekings.co.uk (May 2008)
Tom studied English Literature and Social Sciences at the University of Manchester before retraining at Mountview Theatre School where his credits included Ulik in The Bright and Bold Design, Jeremy in Three Birds Alighting on a Field, Fainall in The Way of the World, and Iago in Othello. Tom’s other credits include Harold in Black Comedy, Jack in Sufficient Carbohydrate, Sandy in Berlin Bertie, and Ragueneau in Cyrano de Bergerac (Manchester In-Fringe Festivals 96-98). He performed in Edinburgh in 1997, playing Ivor in Stephen Keyworth’s Eyes and Teeth, and again in 1998 in his one-man show Trusting Liars. Another of Tom’s plays It’s a Job was short-listed for the Manchester Airport Young Playwright’s Award in 1998. (revised June 2000) Hugh was born in Stroud and studied graphic design at the Gloucestershire College of Art & Design. After training at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School he worked with Tilt Theatre playing Malvolio and Antonio, with The Covent Garden Community Theatre playing Charles II and Errol Manoff’s puppet act on a cruiseliner. His TV work includes Casualty, and film credits include Maurice. Since 1977, Hugh has run Daylight Theatre, a touring company performing in schools all over Britain & Europe writing, directing, designing and acting in over 50 different productions. His notable parts have been Prospero, Oberon, Master Ford, Mistress Page, Cassius, Mark Anthony, Pharaoh Akhenaton, Sherlock Holmes, Charles I, Baron von Draught and Boris the Bear! (revised June 2000) Roger was born and educated in London before going on to Belfast University where he studied geography & politics and was involved in drama and revues. He took part in the Irish premiere of Jesus Christ Superstar (Lloyd-Webber) at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Played Juan in Yerma, Sir Toby Belch / Feste in Twelfth Night (Tilt Theatre) and performed as a puppeteer on a cruise liner. In 1977 Roger co-founded Daylight Theatre Company with Hugh Young, and they have been touring schools from Shetland to Rome, Berlin and Cyprus ever since. In over 50 productions his Shakespearean roles have included Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Falstaff, Bottom and Caliban/Prince Ferdinand. Other roles include Dr Watson/Moriarty (Sherlock Holmes), Nobby The Elfkin and currently Johnny Perfect; a TV game-show host in the cutting-edge drugs education play Can You Take It? TV includes Casualty (BBC). Film includes Maurice (Merchant Ivory). (revised June 2000)
After training at the Drama Studio, Ealing Brian launched himself onto the unsuspecting public in 1986. The public are still largely unsuspecting. His theatre work includes a variety of Shakespeare: Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, The Winters' Tale, As you Like It, King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Modern drama (i.e. 20th century) includes Rattle of A Simple Man, Just Between Ourselves, A Passionate Woman, Dangerous Corner and a revival, with Kate O'Mara's British Actors Theatre company, of a 1930's thriller, 'The Crime At Blossoms'. Brian also donned an Owl costume for the stage version of Winnie the Pooh. Appearances on television have been (very) brief, but you may have glimpsed him in Casualty and the American mini-series 'Buffalo Girls'. (revised May 2003) Katie trained at A.L.R.A. Since graduating her
theatre credits have included Sybil Vane in The Picture of Dorian Graham is delighted to be working with Rain or Shine for the first time this summer in the role of Tony Lumpkin. He was last directed by Mr. Reynard as Valére in The Miser, for Traffic of the Stage and relishes the further opportunity for mutual real ale appreciation! This was swiftly followed by a transvestite Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night Upstairs at The Gatehouse. Other roles since graduating from A.L.R.A. include d`Herbois in the world premiere of Barrie Keeffe`s Shadows on the Sun at the Greenwich Playhouse and the title role in Oedipus Rex at the Wycombe Swan. Graham would like to thank his family and agent for their support. (May 2002)
Beth trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating this year. She is delighted to be beginning her professional career with Rain or Shine. Credits at college include Lavinia in Titus Andronicas, Rosalind in As You Like It, Dorina in The Beaux Stratagem and Margaret in Buried Alive. She is an experienced singer, has many UKA dance awards and, while at Mountview, was chosen to receive a scholarship by Robert Lindsay. Beth enjoys teaching and before starting her degree became a trained teacher for autistic children as well as helping with drama workshops in Brighton. Apart from going to the theatre and cinema, Beth loves to drive and spends much of her spare time visiting many of her old school friends in her home county of Sussex. (revised May 2003) Trained at Warwick University and East 15, Amanda’s theatre credits include Lady Fancyfull in The Provoked Wife, Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost (Rain or Shine), The Constant Wife (Bill Kenwright No.1 tour) Adelaida/Varya in The Idiot (Riverside Studios), Eva in Absurd Person Singular (Tenth Planet/Ovation), Mrs Elton in Emma (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Introducing Shakespeare (Traffic of the Stage), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Henry V, Ruth in The Norman Conquests trilogy , The Taming Of The Shrew (Eye Theatre), The Blind (Edinburgh Festival), Petra in The Secret Things, Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest, Nancy in Oliver Twist, and German/ UK tours as Sybil in Private Lives, Irene Adler in Sherlock Holmes and Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest. Her screen credits include As If, The Sandman's Hour, Rose’s Last Train, Agony, Cold, Careers at MacFingalls and Christabella Wyndham in The Boy Who Would Be King (BBC). (revised July 2006) Ed trained at Mountview Theatre School. His theatre credits include: Tony and the Immigration Officer > in A View From The Bridge, directed by Kenny Ireland; understudy of Clifford in Deathtrap (touring with P.W. productions); The Stag in The Ark with Kneehigh Theatre Company; Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest for Gloucester Festival Theatre and Victor Victorovich in The Suicide at The Kings Head. His film and TV experience includes Spud in Londons Burning, > Jason in the short film Carlton directed by David Wall and The Guard in > Tell Tale Heart directed by Jim Threapleton. (May 2003)
Ivan trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, graduating last year, before which he was a founder member of the Live Youth Theatre in Newcastle, sponsored by Robson Greene. Since graduating Ivan has toured with Old Time Music Hall and Theatre-in-Education, meaning that the King of Navarre is his first 'proper' part and he is quite chuffed with it. TV credits include Kenny Althorpe in the BBC series Badger and an advert for Macdonalds. At Mountview Ivan received UKA gold dance awards and a certificate in stage combat. Ivan enjoys reading and watching Newcastle United dismally fail to win anything. (May 2004)
Shelly trained at Birmingham School of Speech and Drama, graduating last summer. Her credits already include Claire in Road, Sonya in Uncle Vanya, Lucy in Dracula, Katharine in Love’s Labour’s Lost and Florinda in Into The Woods. She has just returned from the south of France where she was touring in Quorum Theatre Company’s production of Playing Mathilde, written and directed by Philip Ayckbourn. Shelly was very brave and toured round the world by herself, where she went skydiving, bungee jumping, scuba diving and crocodile spotting! She is an experienced singer, dancer and musician, having started to learn the violin at only three years old! Her ambition is to perform at the Globe and own a second house in Sydney! She would like to thank her amazing parents for supporting her choice to follow such an unpredictable career! (May 2004)
Holly trained at Drama Studio London where credits included Juliet, Nerissa and Masha in The Seagull. Other credits include Cecily in The Importance Of Being Earnest (Wimbledon Studio Theatre), Girl in Round Round (White Bear), various roles in The Libertine, directed by Katie Read (BAC Time Out Critic's Choice Festival), Miranda in The Tempest (Chapman Theatre, Salford), Desdemona in Desdemona - A Play About A Handkerchief (Columbia University, NYC), three tours playing Cinderella for Globe Players and various short films. Holly is a founder member of Outcast Theatre Company, with whom she played, amongst others, Marlene in Top Girls, and Fran in Whale Music. She is very excited about her first tour with Rain Or Shine, and performing in her home town of Marlborough for the first time. (May 2004)
Trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Born and bred in Gloucestershire, before Anthony delivered lines as a professional actor, he delivered letters (on time!) as a professional postman. Theatre credits include: Ghost Of Christmas Past (Christmas Carol), Earl Williams (The Front Page), Moth (Love's Labour's Lost) and Page (Eastward Ho!) with the Bristol Old Vic; Donald Duck (Blue Remembered Hills) and Etherege (The Libertine) at BAC; Pauncefort Quentin (The Vortex) and Dr Goertler (I Have Been Here Before) at the Edinburgh Festival; Patrick (Cathleen Ni Hoolighan) and Young Man (Purgatory) with Festival Players; Sir Bellstley de Battledown (Jack and the Beanstalk) at Cheltenham Everyman Theatre. Musicals: Preacher Goodlaw (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers) at BAC and Mr Hobbs (Fauntleroy) at Greenwich Theatre. Anthony toured the country playing Jacques/ Silvius in As You Like It with Theatre Set-Up and provided character voices for Aardman Animation's television series Rex The Runt. (May 2004) Originally from Lancashire, Alistair’s talents were spotted at school when his teachers realised he was thick and rubbish at sport. They dressed him in a frock and so it began. Alistair trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where he learnt many skills including beard growing. He has performed in numerous productions and venues across London including The White Bear, The Arcola and Earl’s Court (tube station). Alistair’s most recent theatre credits include Spinosa in Thomas Ottways’s restoration tragedy Venice Preserved, David in the World Premiere of I Live in Tribeca, Audrey in As You Like It, Azdak in The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Vinnie in the musical farce Lucky Stiff’ which is having its London revival later this year. Alistair is not French. Radio credits include last year’s Easter play of The Resurrection for BBC Radio 4. Alistair also acts for film and television and can be seen in this season’s Silent Witness for the BBC where he plays Dr Frances Sykes. He makes his own hummous. (May 2005) Andrew became an actor after it became clear to him that having a proper job was rather dull. He spent four wasted years studying Biology in Cardiff at the expense of his parents, only to realise that what he really wanted to do was ponce around on stage in tights…at the expense of his parents. After training at the Royal Welsh College, he left in 2003 with a diploma, a naive belief that he would be famous and an enormous amount of debt. Since then he’s worked consistently at Borders bookshops, Oddbins wine merchants, and Starbucks, to name but a few. His last big job was taking guided tours around Buckingham Palace and for this The Guardian wrote absolutely nothing. In between these jobs, Andrew has managed to fit in some acting. He toured last year with Chapterhouse Theatre, playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream; he played Idle Jack in Dick Whittingdon over the Christmas period and The Big Lorry and Professor Hertz van Rental in Walking Forward Theatre Company’s production of Cat Ninelives in Deepest Trubble. Worried that he was beginning to get typecast as a jolly scallywag, Andrew is pleased to be getting his teeth in to a really serious role like Sir John Falstaff. His research for this complex and highly philosophical character began in earnest several weeks ago when he began drinking his body weight in mead every week and changing his diet to consist mainly of pies. This is Andrew’s first season with Rain or Shine. He is single, enjoys badminton, croquet and is looking to meet like-minded people for fun, companionship and maybe more… (May 2005)
Kate trained at Drama Studio London, graduating in 2004. She is very happy to be back with Rain or Shine this year having had a thoroughly enjoyable summer playing Mistress Page in last year's production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Her other theatre credits include Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest (New Triad TC's tour of Germany, the UK and Switzerland), Christine Linde in A Doll's House (Galleon TC), Mrs Weston in a stage adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma and Titania, Lady Macbeth, Kate and Beatrice in two different versions of Introducing Shakespeare (both for Traffic of the Stage). She has also appeared in short films for ET Productions and Blank Canvas Media and played the lead in a new radio play entitled Sound Advice. Kate gave up her legal career in the Caribbean to train as an actress and to be a fairy, in the rain, in England. She is now looking for a good psychiatrist. (revised July 2006) Kim trained at Aberystwyth University of Wales and Birmingham School of Acting. She has worked extensively for the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham: Cinderella, The Haunted Man, Gloucestershire Wassail and regularly tours schools with The Story Coat. She has just finished touring Can You Take It? with Daylight Theatre Co, playing Karen, a drug addict, and When Worlds Collide for Riding Lights Theatre Co in York, where she finally fulfilled her childhood dream of playing Mary! She is delighted to be back touring outdoor Shakespeare as she has previously worked for Festival Players in The Comedy of Errors (Luciana), Romeo and Juliet (Lady Capulet), Henry V (Katherine/the boy) and Lettice and Lovage (Miss Framer). She has also done four tours for Sixth Sense Theatre Co in Swindon - her favourite role playing The Hag! In her spare time she also enjoys belly dancing and being an Auntie to her three nieces (but not at the same time!). (May 2005) Milanka trained at The Actor’s Pulse in Sydney, Australia. She is from a family of actors and at 22 has already enjoyed success in a variety of roles spanning comedy to drama. She has appeared in many stage productions including Antigone, Be My Baby, L’Ecole des Femmes, and Wayward Women, in which she played the leads. Her film credits include Casanova Complex, Popo-Gig a Tribute, several recent short films and pilots, and both the Lynx Billion and Boots Soltan ads on TV. Milanka is delighted to be appearing in her first Shakespearean role and is hoping for many more! (July 2006) Meg trained at the Court Theatre Training Company, graduating in 2005. Her theatre credits whilst training include Hippolytus, The Mysteries, Philaster, The Comedy of Errors, Mad Forest and Oh What A Bloody Circus. Since graduating Meg has been on a six month tour with Quantum Theatre. Her screen credits include the short films Losing Simon, Electronic and Closed Circuit. Meg is delighted to be making her open air Shakespeare debut with Rain or Shine this summer. (July 2006) James was born and raised in Birmingham and began acting professionally at the age of 8 at the RSC , Stratford Upon Avon. He worked extensively on stage and screen as a child actor before gaining a degree in Drama from Exeter University and then going on to hone his acting skills at Drama Studio, London. Since graduating in 2005 his theatre credits include Dick Whittington in Snow White Goes to Kitchville (Jackson’s Lane Theatre), Ladies Night (Oldham Colisseum) and Arthur Crabtree in Billy Liar (New Century Theatre Company). His film credits include Rose Tinted Glasses, Speed Date and Idde. James is looking forward to spending a dry and sunny summer with Rain or Shine, but has packed his umbrella - just in case! (July 2006)
Paul trained as an actor at Drama Studio London (DSL) after gaining a degree
in Drama and Theatre Studies from the University of Surrey Roehampton.
Naomi graduated from The Central School of Speech and Drama in 2001. She has since played leads in a number of theatrical productions including Stella in ‘The Audition’ which transferred to London in October 2006 after 5 star reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Naomi has toured with Stephen Daldry’s multi-award winning production ‘An Inspector Calls’ as Sheila Birling. She has also written and performed a couple of her own comic sketches, ‘Levonelle’ and ‘Featherlite’, at Madame JoJo’s in London. Most recently she played the Young Wife in an Act Provocateur adaptation of ‘La Ronde’. Film and Television Credits include: A sketch show for Channel 4’s Comedy Lab, ‘Clitheroe’, Call Girl in ‘Amelia & Michael’ with Anthony Head, and most recently as Alicia in the feature film ‘Three Minute Moments’, starring alongside Belinda Lang. To find out more visit www.naomi-martin.com Naomi is represented by Olivia Bell Ltd. (May 2007)
Nick trained at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. He was so successful at Webber that the school then decided to close as they had finally found perfection in an actor and saw no reason to continue. Theatre credits include: ‘Pirates of Penzance’, Squire Humphry in ‘A Journey to London’, ‘After Liverpool’ and ‘Bye Bye Blues’ (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond). White Rabbit/Cheshire Cat in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ (Chalkfoot), ‘The Trial of Sir Henry Irving Lately Deceased’ (Courtyard Theatre, Covent Garden), Donalbain in ‘Macbeth’, Curtis in ‘Taming of the Shrew’, Snug in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Fabian in ‘Twelfth Night’ and Murderer in ‘Richard III’ (Stafford Festival Shakespeare). Roles at Webber Douglas included Feste in ‘Twelfth Night’, Macleish in ‘The Long, the Short and the Tall’, Nick in ‘The Time of Your Life’, Whittman in ‘Follies’, and representing Webber at the Poel Festival (Theatre Royal, Haymarket). Nick is delighted he didn’t have to be on a reality TV show to win the part of Sir Toby for Rain or Shine. For more information visit www.myspace.com/nicklikescake. (May 2007) Susanna trained at the Guildford School of Acting. Her
theatre credits include:
Stephen trained at Arts Educational after graduating from Cambridge University. His theatre credits include: Father O’Loughlin in new musical ‘A Karaoke Wedding’ (Union Theatre), Titania Vamp in ‘The Great Sleigh Robbery’ (Brentwood Theatre), Matthew in ‘The Dice House’ (Stand Up Drama), Algernon in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ (Ocras Theatre Tour), Mitch in ‘Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens’ (The Fortune Theatre and Brentwood Theatre), Dame Phyll in ‘Puss in Boots’ (The Theatre, Chipping Norton), Blunt in ‘The Rover’ (Courtyard Theatre), Mephistopheles in ‘Doctor Faustus’ (Barons Court Theatre), Amiens/William in ‘As You Like It’ (Centurion Theatre Company) and Hilmar in ‘The Pillars of the Community’ (Tabard Theatre). www.stephenglover.net (May 2007) Jamie trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. On his release he set out on an illustrious career, spanning many stages, school gyms, countries and public houses. Theatrical highlights include: ‘Auntie and Me’ (Inspire Theatre). ‘Rumpelstiltskin’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘The Rose and the Ring’ and ‘Coppelia’ (The Globe Players), ‘Yesterday’s Spy’, ‘The House Plant’ (London Production Company), ‘An Actors Life’ (Soho Theatre), ‘Face to Face’ (Smile Theatre), ‘Frankenstein’ (Dream Productions), ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Hamlet’ (Stand Up Shakespeare Company). His forays into the Film world include ‘The Fence’ (Purrfect Productions), ‘Birdman’ and ‘The Affair’, for the New York Film Academy. ‘Bring Flowers’ (Canne Films) and ‘A Place to Stay’ (Hollywood Daze). Television (blink and you will miss it) performances include ‘Spooks’ (BBC), ‘Help, I’m Karen Taylor’ (BBC), ‘Tale’ (Austrian Commercial), ‘Swinging’ (Channel 5) and, finally, two ITN News special reports. Yes, he really will do anything to get on telly! (May 2007) Bill turned professional in 2003 and since then has played a variety of roles which have taken him across the UK and abroad. His acting credits include Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion, Dr Prospero in Return to the Forbidden Planet, Anthony in Life, Eric Dobbins in his own play Free and Easy, King Duncan and Old Siward in a touring production of Macbeth and Egeon, and Angelo in The Comedy of Errors. Following The Winter's Tale, Bill will continue touring with his one-man show I'll Be Bert - an affectionate and humorous look at the trauma of being a Manchester City fan! He has recently completed work on the film 33:66 in Glasgow. When he gets the time, Bill likes to indoctrinate his grandchildren into the Manchester City fan-base because it will teach them how to lose gracefully in life. www.dreamshedtheatre.co.uk (May 2008) Charlotte studied English at Christ’s College, Cambridge, and trained (appropriately) at the Poor School. Her first acting work was as a KitKat Girl in Cabaret, after which she toured France and Germany for six months inflicting Pinter on unsuspecting schoolchildren. Nine years later she realised she was still in Germany and found her way back to London. Whilst abroad she worked in theatre and voice-over, and (simultaneously) as a radio journalist, translator, writer and editor. Theatre includes Siri von Essen in Strindberg in Hollywood, Pip in Great Expectations; Mata Hari in What’s the Mata Hari?, a long-running comedy that was written for her; 88 (an Internet-obsessed robot) in the two-hander Crash; and a bilingual open-air production of short Beckett plays for the Stadttheater Konstanz. She has written and performed in several plays for radio, including Inside the Bell Jar as Sylvia Plath. Her film work includes Holiday of Lights and the award-winning US short Rumble. Charlotte also acts in German, most recently as Portia in The Merchant of Venice for the ETA Hoffmann Theater in Bamberg, with James Reynard. She is very pleased to be spending the summer brushing up on the geography of Britain and fulfilling her childhood dream of living in a caravan. (May 2008) Born in Cheltenham, Craig started performing with the Everyman Youth Theatre where he got the chance to act in numerous productions, including two at the National Theatre in London. After studying performing arts at college Craig started his professional acting career. His credits include Bill Kenwright’s Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (National Tour and West End), Phillip in Orphans, Angus in Neville’s Island, and King Theseus in The Theban Trilogy. His Shakespeare credits include Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Sebastian in Twelfth Night, Ferdinand in The Tempest, and both Dromios in The Comedy of Errors. Craig is hoping 2008 will be as busy and varied as last year, which saw him working in corporate video, TV, film and theatre. (May 2008) Nicholas began professional acting in 2000 with Cheltenham-based theatre company Voice in regional tours of Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet. He also spent a month performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a physical theatre piece, Red Sky. Highlights whilst training at Mountview Academy Of Theatre Arts included his performance as Leonard Ardsley in Somerset Maugham’s For Services Rendered. Since graduating, Nicholas has performed as Macbeth in Macbeth and Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. He has also filmed a commercial for UKTV. In 2006 he toured Norfolk and Suffolk with the children’s play The Emperor’s New Clothes and last year took the role of Garcin in Jean Paul Sartre’s Huis Clos, which was performed at The Pleasance Theatre in London. Over the summer he performed as Peter in the new play, Human Remains, which ran for four weeks at The Canal Café Theatre, and at Christmas he played Dame Tilly Trott in a theatre tour of Jack & The Beanstalk. Nicholas started 2008 very brightly, playing Lorenzo in The Merchant Of Venice to critical acclaim at The Greenwich Playhouse. www.nicholaskarpenko.com (May 2008) |
Nigel
Adams
