My performing story started a long way back when I was 14 and facing
the decision to either sing for a music class exam or play an original
composition... this wasn’t much of a choice for me (Niall will tell you my
talents do not lie in writing music!) so I got up and reluctantly sang
‘Careless Whisper’ by George Michael to a tape cassette backing track! To my
surprise everyone went quiet, which I didn’t know then was a good thing, and
after a good few seconds started applauding. Not only was this the start of my
singing career but it was also the moment that I found a way of showing off at
school without ending up outside the Headmasters office, good news all round
really. The head of music at Guildford County School and now one of my closest
friends, Caroline Gale, took me under her wing and gave up so much of her free
time with training my voice from that day on, I will always owe her so much and
am thankful for her time and her friendship always.
After turning down my place at Art Educational School in 2002 due to my
Dad passing away I finally started professional training at the Royal Academy
of Music in 2005 where I graduated with a Post Graduate Diploma in Musical
Theatre. My first job was in St Ives in a musical production show and I haven’t
looked back since, touring in Mamma Mia!, South Pacific, The 12 Tenors, Dancing
Queen and also working in the USA in a new musical Scandalous! and travelling
the world on a cruise liner among other smaller contracts and gigging.
Q. Tell us some more about the Guildford Fringe Theatre Company and how
it began.
A. It began out of a much smaller idea to be
honest. I was coming to the end of my contract with South Pacific and getting
the usual chest pains and nasty ulcers at the thought of being out of work when
I thought, why don’t I make my own work and produce a show that I could be in.
I have been talking about producing theatre for a while now and I also have
said that I don’t want to tour for a bit so why not put something on in
Guildford (where I have bought my first place and have always lived)? The Last Five Years came into my head and so
did the girl I would ask to play the other lead role so now all I needed was a
musical director that could coach myself and Daniella Gibb AND also play the
music, which is not an easy task by any means! So I asked 3 or 4 of my friends
and ended up with Niall.... haha only joking!!
I called Niall and asked him to come and have
a look at the space that I had found and put it to him that I’d love to do a
fringe production of the show. He said yes which was awesome, but the more we
spoke about how cool the space was the larger the idea grew. After lots of
chats and thoughts flying around we came up with Guildford Fringe Theatre
Company. So now I wasn’t only producing a one off 2 hander show but I was in
full partnership and creating a company, now I definitely can’t be going off
and touring!
The ideas that we have for the company grow
every time we chat about it which is great. We are working on cementing the
ideas we already have as well as thinking about the future; I really believe
this is something that will work, commercially and artistically. Myself and Niall have completely different
backgrounds, away from theatre, and therefore bring different skills to the
table which is so useful for a new company. Overall the whole experience so far
is pretty damn electrifying and I can’t wait to keep moving forward.
Q. Why “Me, As A Penguin”?
A. Come and see it and you will find out for yourself!
As soon as I started reading the play I couldn’t put it down, to be that
gripped just reading the thing makes me so eager to see it brought to life on
stage. Not ONLY on stage but in a completely intimate venue where you are so
close you can’t help but be wrapped up in the piece. I am not going to give the
story away but I will say that everyone will be able to relate in some way to
the play, stepping away from where you feel comfortable, trying something new
and finding your identity is something that everyone goes through at some point
in their lives. Oh that all sounds very serious, don’t forget there is someone
dressed as a Penguin in it to, why wouldn’t we want to produce this gem!!
Q. What sort of audiences are you
hoping to attract to this particular production?
A. Listen, we are still very new to the Guildford theatre scene, we just
want people to know about us and know that what we produce is good quality
stuff and therefore they will come back time and time again without having to
worry about that side of things. A lot of what we will be putting on may not be
well known so we want people to trust us that it WILL be great and to come and
try something new. Like the first time mum makes you eat vegetables, but it
doesn’t take years to come round to the idea of liking them (bad example?!).
Moving on, this production is aimed at people who love theatre, they
maybe haven’t experienced it in the back of a pub but this is their chance.
It’s December so if you fancy a night out at the theatre that isn’t Pantomime
then this is a cracking alternative, still plenty of laughs but not so many thigh
slaps!
Q. Your performance in the Guildford
Fringe Theatre Company’s production of “The Last Five Years” received rave
reviews; how does it feel now that you are just wearing the producer’s hat and
not having to perform in “Me, As A Penguin”?
A. Amazing! I am still performing when I wear my other hat so I don’t
feel like I am missing out. I do however feel a lot less stressed out. Niall
will feel the same I am sure after being musical director and producer as I was
actor and producer, it is very nice and also very important to be able to
separate the two professions. To be producer means to a large extent you are
not in the creative group and this means you can have a far more objective eye
over what is going on without getting caught up in your own performance. Our
job is to choose the play, put in place a strong and talented team and then
sell the show while supporting the cast and creative team; this is much easier
to do when you are not in the show yourself.
Q. What’s next for the Guildford
Fringe Theatre Company?
A. We have a busy year ahead of us for sure. This is our last run of a
show that will only last a week for a start, we are doing a month in
February/March time as well as 2 or 3 other productions through-out the year.
On top of this we are going to be running Guildford Fringe Theatre Festival for
the month of July which will include all elements of the arts, from theatre to
poetry and live music to new writing workshops. This is a massive deal for us
and we are already in preparation stage for this mammoth task, this alone is a
reason be joining our mailing list so that you are first to hear about what’s
going on and where. Get onto our website and sign up, www.guildfordfringe.com
Q. Where do you see your company in
five years’ time and what would you like the Guildford Fringe Theatre Company to
have achieved over the next five years?
A. The most visible growth for Guildford Fringe, I think, will be the
festival. Even just speaking about it now it seems to grow faster than we can
form the words to describe it so in 5 years time I would image it being a huge
event for Guildford with theatre companies and acts coming from far and wide to
be involved. Guildford is my home and I
absolutely love it here, I always see us producing here and adding to the arts
scene in the town. Saying that we also have plans to run our first UK tour in
2013 so watch out for Guildford Fringe Theatre Company’s productions coming to
a town near you!
So in five years time (well much less than that really) I see a constant
flow of theatre and festivals coming out of the company, a nice growing cycle.
Q. Any final thoughts or comments for
our readers?
A. I would just like to thank you again for your time and interest in
Guildford Fringe Theatre Company.
This is not a radical new idea what we are doing but what is hugely
thrilling is the energy that comes from mine and Niall’s conversations about
the future, you will struggle to find a more passionate pair who thrive off
each other’s energy and drive.
As with all new companies two things need to happen,
the producer needs to deliver and the consumer needs to support. I promise to
keep our side and as we grow I am looking forward to thanking each and every
one of you for your support, this is going to be enthralling journey. 
