I'm so proud to share that after working with 509 Arts on various projects since 2021, I am producing their latest theatre project!
We can't reveal too much at this stage however can tell you it's commissioned by Bradford 2025 for UK City of Culture and will be performed in their pop up theatre venue, The Loading Bay, in the centre of the city. The piece focuses on the wonders and challenges of ageing and includes a Community Chorus, performers and musicians all aged over 60. Building on the award winning success of Calderland and the Batley Variations, the new show will be composed by UK Theatre award winner Richard Taylor (Royal Opera, Chichester Festival Theatre, Leeds Playhouse, Sheffield Crucible and much more - details here.) The piece is written by Alan Dix (Artistic Director of 509 Arts) with Olivier Award winner Mike Kenny (The Railway Children, York Theatre Royal, National Theatre of Greece, Derby Theatre, Graeae and more). Directed by Alan Dix. Our Community Chorus will be led by Chorus Director Em Whitfield Brooks (Hull Freedom Chorus, Hull Jazz Festival, PRS New Music Biennial and others). Working alongside such an experienced, talented team is a real pinch-me moment and I'm grateful to be developing my skills as a theatre producer on such a cool project. Stay tuned for more updates!
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Unspun Stories was a big hit at the Loading Bay in Bradford earlier this year. Created by 509 Arts and the Colour Foundry, the multimedia exhibition revealed Bradford’s textile heritage in a new and exciting immersive format, with translucent gauzes, projectors and a compelling soundtrack. Audiences loved Unspun Stories, and now it can be viewed on screens at home! The full 20 minute version together with 5 short digital tracks have all been reformatted for video and are free to view and enjoy anywhere, anytime! Unspun Stories celebrates Bradford's textile heritage from the 1970s onwards. Its creation stems from 509 Arts’ two year research programme, Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions, blended with footage from the Yorkshire Film Archive and the voices of textile workers. An original digital design and specially composed music create a unique perspective on a very special time in Bradford’s recent history. Audio of the music tracks are also available via SoundCloud and Spotify. I've been lucky enough to be involved in Unspun Stories behind the scenes since it's R&D at Salts Mill in 2024 for the Saltaire Arts Trail and I'm really proud of its evolution into a second immersive exhibition and now digital experience. Please go give it a like and share with anyone interested in Bradford's textile heritage, multimedia art or cool new music!
Play Test was a score! On Wednesday the Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham, was fully booked with the most supportive and engaging audience for the venue's first scratch night. It was a busy day involving a couple hours rehearsal in the space with my director, Emily Susanne Lloyd, before meeting the other creatives to perform, so I'm looking back with such gratitude for the smooth running of the event thanks to the OJS team (Liam, James and Emily).
This was such a special evening sharing new theatre and I met the most talented bunch of actors, writers and directors. A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to chat afterwards. Here's some examples of the generous feedback Service with a Smile received from the audience:
I won't forget this night in a while! I just wish I'd been able to record the performances or at least remember to take more photographs! I'm feeling another funding bid in the works... 👀   Buzzing to share an extract of my solo show, Service with a Smile, is selected for Birmingham's Old Joint Stock Theatre's first scratch night, Play Test! On 5th March, audiences can support six new pieces of writing and give feedback! Tickets are Pay What You Can and can be secured using the button below. It's my first time performing in Birmingham and I'm directed by childhood friend and incredible director, Emily Susanne Lloyd! You don't want to miss this!
 I am so proud to share that the Lost Mills Learning Zone is finally here for the world to enjoy! Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions was a two year oral history project funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England in collaboration with 509 Arts and Bradford Community Broadcasting (BCB). I was lucky enough to be involved from the very start and contributed to the recording of over 80+ interviews with former textile mill owners and workers. This insight, along with generously donated photographs and resources from contributors and partners like Bradford Museums and Tim Smith, paved the way for a free online resource for anyone wanting to learn more about Bradford's textile legacy, whether you're in education or are just a curious local!
Alongside the Learning Zone, this project produced two textile pieces with local artists, Alison Welsh, Hannah Lamb and Hannah Robson, available to view for free in their new home at Bradford Industrial Museum, as well as radio broadcasts sharing soundbites from the interviews and local primary schools learning radio production through interviewing for the project. You can listen to them on the Archive page of our website, along with the full interviews from all participants with transcripts too! I am immensely proud of the Learning Zone as it's something I've been building behind the scenes with website whizz, Matthew Davison, and we continue to work alongside BD25 and other educational organisations to share this resource far and wide.  I am the new presenter for the National Science and Media Museum's monthly broadcast on BCB Radio, Sound & Vision! Our first show aired in November and is available to catch up with here: This Thursday we record the final show of 2024 ready for its Christmas Day broadcast and I can't wait for the reopening of the museum in January 2025 so we can see the redevelopments in person. Very grateful for the team at the National Science and Media Museum for welcoming me so warmly!
I was so honoured to be chosen to represent the Leeds division of Both Feet in September for their Both Feet Live event at Leeds Playhouse. We shared the behind the scenes process of the Meisner technique with the audience, ending with improvised and scripted scenes to show the variety of work we are capable of as a result of the training. Steph was a generous and patient director and it was a fantastic evening!
Steph very kindly selected me as June's Actor Spotlight in the Both Feet newsletter. Here's a poor quality screenshot of the feature:   Exciting news! Last Friday, I was in short play, Curtains, in the first heat of Short and Sweet festival Yorkshire in beautiful Harrogate. We were somehow selected by both the audience and judges for the final which is taking place this Saturday 29th at the same venue. To bring this script to life with the talented Abdul Rahman Chunara and Meg Terzza has been so much fun and we can't wait to see everyone else's work onstage! The event is sold out so fingers crossed we get lucky :)
 On Saturday I was lucky to share another extract of my debut solo show, Service with a Smile, as part of Freedom Studios' Writers Group Showcase. Hearing the work of the talented writers I've had the joy of meeting every week from October-February to develop our plays was an absolute treat, and I can't wait to see how they progress in the future. Also a huge shoutout to the other actors who brought the text to life on stage in such a short period of time!
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May 2026
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