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 for 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. I went on to study at Drama Centre London under Christopher Fettes and Yat Malmgren, in the traditions of Theatre Workshop and the Group Theatre. Graduated 1983.
Joined Equity by performing Revue in Glasgow with Merryhell Theatre and spent the rest of that decade working Repertory in Edinburgh (playing title roles in Hamlet and Woyceck), Glasgow with Michael Boyd and Giles Havergal, also Repertory at Oldham, Coventry, Leicester, then The Royal Court and The National Theatre in London.
By the early Nineties I had a young family. I achieved roles in TV Dramas by John McGrath and John Byrne and in the Lucy Gannon Medical Drama, 'Bramwell', that ran for five years. This in addition to ongoing theatre work including The Royal Shakespeare Company.
At the start of this Century for family reasons I located in St Andrews and found work in Perth, Glasgow, St Andrews, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and tours with Suspect Culture & Stellar Quines. Also invitations to play in Tokyo, Ekaterinaburg, Paris and a film directed by Sam Miller on Madagascar.
2010's saw my children grown and a concentrated return to the Theatre 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 playing Mr Myers QC in Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall.
I was in the first post-Lockdown production at the National's Dorfman Theatre -'Afterlife' created by Bunny Christie, Jeremy Herrin, and Jack Thorne. Most recently I have played The Young Vic, Noel Coward Theatre, The Globe and The Donmar Warehouse.
Giles Havergal, Former 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.
October 2023