I'd always known that I enjoyed performing, in one way or another. My earliest triumph was at Primary School, where I played Herod in the Nativity. Unfortunately, (probably!) there is no photographic record of this - I seem to remember wearing black satin pantaloons, clapping my hands and shouting a lot. I played a recorder solo in assembly once, as well - I would do any amount of creeping to get on the stage...

At Secondary School, I opted to do 'Drama' - for most, it was a way of getting out of R.E, but I loved it, and was, over those years, in many school productions.

There was a MASSIVE pantomime, performed in a proper theatre in Newquay, that I was in - I waited three hours backstage to deliver my line, but I was well and truly hooked.

We made an L.P. with proper recording studio, on which I played guitar (and which I still have)....

Several big shows, with little parts  - some revues with little bit parts. I do remember a production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream in which I was in drag ( a little green bouclé number I borrowed from my Mum)  to play Thisbe...hmmm! Shoulda seen the signs...I was a page in Menotti's 'Amahl and the Night Visitors' opera, a 'circus' - there were many others, too memorable to remember...lol

In 1974, I went off to College (my A levels weren't good enough for University) to study Drama, and oh yes, and How To Do Teechin.

Paradise!

Necessarily, I spent the required amount of time studying 'Education' but lived in the Drama studio. We were required to perform in, and have at least a 'hand in' producing something for performance...a ' HAND IN'? Excuse me??       I needed to take on the whole thing, believing myself capable of doing it on my own. Fortunately, the other students didn't mind as it meant they had less to do, and could go to the Student bar earlier ( 1/2 lager and lime - 11p. Fab!) so it was a happy relationship.

I was involved in several productions over those three wonderful, and all-too-short years. There were so many, and sadly no record of them. I DID do a dance piece based on a Martha Graham work, which consisted of me emerging from a blue stretchy bag - something very profound about being reborn or something....there ARE photos of that, but I am most certainly NOT posting them here!!

 

There are only photographs from a few of these; probably for the best...but here's ONE....come on! I WAS only 19!! It was proper Art, let me tell you lol!

They are also dreadful quality; I Paint-Shopped them to death to get them even to this....they are 30 years old, remember....

Theatrical Triumphs From Balls Park... 

 I left BPC in 1977, a fledgling luvvie, with a good set of qualifications in Drama. I was offered a place at Cambridge to do a B.A., but I had already decided to be a DANCER!!! (puuuleeese!) Anyway, off I went to the Laban Centre, in New Cross, to do a qualification in Dance in Education. I had emerged from a blue stretchy bag after all, so I could probly do anything! Hmmmm. I was OK with the 'creative' stuff (as in: just make it up and it would be Art) but I hadn't reckoned on the ballet classes. I was rubbish, although I "went down very well" - in a plié,I think she meant, but I was never quite sure. I had a month off with shin splits, because the floors then weren't sprung and I didn't do TERRIBLY well in the ballet classes, but I DID make a pretty interesting dance piece for my exam, and passed. I had decided though, that maybe I wouldn't be a dancer after all (I  even had my own leg warmers and everything!). I went into teaching - stories not meant for this page.

 

 

 

 

Then...I went dark for 12 years. hehe.

I went back to Cornwall in 1988, and got a good job in a school keen on Drama and I started putting on whole school productions - loved it, especially cos I could be in them....

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were 13 in all. Wonderful times - made the teaching bearable!! Over 300 kids were given their 'time in the sun'. I'm proud of that.

 

In 1992 I joined the local drama group, but after a couple of shows with them, I felt we could do better stuff - it was all too safe and so, in 1993,  Phoenix Drama was formed...then there was no looking back.

Phoenix Drama in all its glory.....!!!

Great times, challenging times, rewarding and sometimes bloody, but I loved it. In 1998, I was promoted at work, and I found I just couldn't give the time necessary to be as good as I wanted to be. My last big production was 'Macbeth', a huge undertaking - directing, heavy on props, needed proper scenery, a big cast, acting in it too, with a big role, speaking Shakespeare.....i couldn't do it again - work was paying me, this wasn't (at least, not in money) so something had to give...

Sadly, it was Phoenix. I did one more, as an actor, in a one-act play ('Deadline Dawn'), and then left the group. Heart-breaking, as I'm sure you can imagine.

STILL! onwards and UPWARDS!!

Now I'm living in France, and when our house is ready, I am planning to start up an English Speaking Theatre Company; I have the time, we will have the space, and I certainly have the experience, the will and the love to make it happen.

Simon is also planning to make a short film with me based on a short story by Chekov.....

 

The flame still burns.....

                        A recent production:

                       here I am, giving my

                  Richard III, in les

                   Jardin de Abbaye,

 Vierzon

  July 2008