ABOUT

Briefly!

Born in Nigeria, schooled in Kirkintilloch. Son of a Colliery Electrician Father and Shopworker Mother. From Irish Grandparents and a large family in North Glasgow.

Whilst working on the Railways, I began training as an Actor with Hugo Gifford at Strathclyde Theatre Group. I was part of the 1977 Inaugural Scottish Youth Theatre Company, then studied at Drama Centre London in the traditions of Theatre Workshop and the Group Theatre. Graduated 1983.

Joined Equity through Variety and spent the rest of that decade working Repertory in Edinburgh at The Lyceum (playing title roles in Hamlet and Woyceck), Glasgow at The Tron and The Citizens, Oldham Coliseum , Coventry Belgrade, Leicester Haymarket, then to The Royal Court and The National Theatre in London. By the early Nineties I was doing a bit of television work including dramas by John McGrath and John Byrne and five seasons of the Lucy Gannon Medical Drama, 'Bramwell'.

In the Noughties I was back to theatre at Perth Rep, Glasgow Citizens, St Andrews Byre, Edinburgh Lyceum, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Liverpool Playhouse and Everyman, Manchester Royal Exchange. Tours and Residences with some wonderful invitations to play in Tokyo, Yekaterinburg and Paris. Also a Science film ‘Krakatoa -The Last Days’ directed by Sam Miller on Madagascar.

The Tenties saw a concentrated return to the Theatre in London with several productions including the phenomenal 'People, Places and Things' by Duncan Macmillan, directed by Jeremy Herrin. Starting at The National Theatre, then to Wyndhams and St Ann's NYC. Also a year with the The Royal Shakespeare Company, spells at the Royal Exchange in Manchester and a tour of Jack Thorne's Musical 'Junkyard' also directed by Jeremy Herrin. Prior to Covid I was at The Bridge in Nick Hytners production of A Midsummer Nights Dream' and as Lockdown began I was mid-contract playing Mr Myers QC in Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall.

Bunny Christie, Jeremy Herrin, and Jack Thorne created 'Afterlife' the first post-Lockdown production at the National's Dorfman Theatre where I played No 5. Jeremy used me again in James Graham’s ‘Best of Enemies’ playing Walter Cronkite and Elmer Lower, the head of ABC News, at The Young Vic. ‘I then spent a glorious Summer in ‘22 at The Globe. ‘Best of Enemies’ then went into the West End and was closely followed by Jack Thorne’s ‘When Winston Went to War with the Wireless’ at The Donmar. Since then I’ve picked up some TV work and have been developing a short play with some old friends.

Giles Havergal, the great Director of The Citizens in Glasgow told me once that Actors had to live and work wherever they could. This I've attempted for forty years and some hundred and fifty productions. A little Film, some TV, mainly Theatre.

Love, gratitude and respect to all my colleagues.

January 2024