Getting to know you...

So, with our stint up in Edinburgh drawing ever nearer, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce everyone to our lovely cast and crew. Since there are quite a few of us, I’ll be doing 2 posts of cast and crew profiles. Some of our cast have been involved in quite a variety of productions in the past, playing some…interesting *ahem* characters. Enjoy –

 

  James Davies as King Lear

This is James' second year performing at the Edinburgh Fringe, and his second year as a member of Act One. Previous roles have included: Givola in 'The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui' (directed by Greg Davies), Holmes in 'Sherlock Holmes and the Saucermen from Mars' (directed by Rob Thomas and Aleks Ford) and Samuel Meredith in the film adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald story 'The Four Fists' (directed by Raneem Al Daoud and Elliot Albarran). September will see him begin his masters in acting at the Arts Educational School in London. He is very happy to be the first James in the cast.

 Laura Williams as Cordelia

Laura is ridiculously excited to be taking this play up to Edinburgh (yes, she is very excitable).
This is Laura's second year in Act One, having previously played the role of Tituba in their production of The Crucible, along with several other events and radio dramas. She also played the title role in Annie as a child. Yes, she wore a wig. Playing Cordelia has allowed Laura to show everyone her more serious side, and she was very pleased when a member of the audience after King Lear’s initial run in Cardiff commented that Laura seemed like a very serious girl – her acting skills were obviously better than she thought.

 

 Ségolène Scheuer as Goneril

Ségolène started acting at the age of 6 as Pérette in a creation by Karin Catala in a theatre in the Parisian suburbs. By age 11, she joined Les Enfants de La Comédie, a troupe and school of acting in Sèvres and starred in many shows and musicals such as ‘Chanteclerc’ by Edmond Rostand, Charles Dickens’s ‘Christmas Caroll’, ‘Voyage Extraordinaire’, an adaptation of Jules Verne’s ‘Two Years Vacation’, and even Perrault’s famous ‘Little Thumbling’. Piers Horner and Madison Fowler’s ‘King Lear’ marks Ségolène’s return to the stage after a six years absence, during which the French actress tried out new arts such as singing and loud reading.
“Goneril has been part of my life for almost a year now. And, despite her evil personality, I’ve learned to admire and respect her: she is a true Shakespearean villain. I hope you’ll enjoy the performance. Que le spectacle commence!”

 

  

Felicity Box as Regan

Felicity is glad to be returning to her roots by playing a good old baddie, having made her stage debut at the age of 6 playing the wicked stepmother in ‘Sleeping Beauty’. She is also glad to be playing a human character once again having been cast as a lion (The Wizard of Oz), a hen (Animal Farm) and various other animal parts. Her most recent roles include Inspecter Bertozzo in ‘Accidental Death of Anarchist’ and Ysabell in Terry Pratchett’s ‘Mort’. This is Felicity’s first year in Act One and she would like to thank all of the casts and crews for a fantastic year!

 

Nick McAndrew as Edgar

King Lear is Nick's stage debut as a reinvented 'serious actor' after playing the White Queen in ‘Alice in Panto Land’ and Merlin in ‘King Arthur and The Lads of The Round Table’, with roles before University including the artistically revered Daddy Bear (off of goldilocks) in the Fallibroome High School production of ‘Happily Ever After’. I hope you love the show as much as I've loved making it, and don't worry, I don't understand most of the words either.

Lawrence Dixon as Edmund

Throughout his teenage years Lawrence was involved in numerous productions as a member of his local youth theatre group Shed, who are also performing at this year’s Fringe. This is Lawrence’s second appearance at the Fringe having previously played Captain Cat in Shed’s 2008 production of ‘Under Milk Wood’. Soon after he was The Young Knight in Cirencester’s Sundial Theatre production of ‘The Canterbury Tales’. In his first year of Act One, aside from being Edmund, Lawrence has played the lead in original play ‘Sunrise’ and appeared in indie gangster film ‘Blanc’. He is the creator of Xpress Radio’s series ‘The Bullingdon Boys’, and has been commissioned to direct a main production for Act One; a new devised piece about the lead up to the Iraq war entitled ‘Harrowdown Hill’ and arriving in Cardiff for March 2013.

 

James Sidwell as Cornwall

James been previously spotted on various act one stages in the roles of Mr Darcy, a highly disturbed, prepubescent Texan (and his late father), and a love struck, existentially challenged puppet. This, combined with his abiding passion for dance and/or ninja things, was apparently the ideal experiential skill set for playing a Shakespearean sexual sadist. No, he doesn't understand it either. He is feeling type cast and would like to see his agent- sorry, his therapist. PS: he is topless by dramatic necessity, not choice. But yes. Yes, they are real.

 

Adam Feltham as Albany

Adam started acting at the age of 11 when cast as Michael in a school production of ‘Peter Pan’. Following this he proceeded to play roles in ‘Bugsy Malone’ (Dandy Dan), ‘Annie’ (Drake), ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (Oberon) and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as the title character. He also joined the Nuffield Youth Theatre playing chorus roles, as well as Lennox in ‘Macbeth’ and the Prime Minister in ‘Gargling with Jelly’. After joining Act One, Adam has appeared in ‘Cinderotica’ as the Big Bad Wolf and ‘Pride and Prejudice’ as Colonel Fitzwilliam. He has also voiced the character Doctor John Watson in two radio series based on a spoof of Sherlock Holmes as well as playing significant roles in two independent films for GEA productions.

Now, it’s not only the cast that make a play, we musn’t forget our lovely crew too, so here’s a look at some of them –

Mica Jones (Make-up)

Mica has worked on a Columbia University Production of 'Lulu' directed by Osheen Jones, doing the hair and make-up. She worked on 'Sunrise' written and directed by Ben Atterbury, where she focused on ageing the actors. She has also gained make-up experience from working on school productions and photo shoots for friends and family.
Mica is now going into her final year at Cardiff University studying Politics and Sociology.

 Charlotte Smith (Props)

Charlotte has probably done a little bit of everything in the theatre now! She never really got into the crew side of theatre before she came to University in Cardiff. But just by chance she applied to join the crew of last year’s pantomime 'King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table' in costume and makeup, and she loved it. So when the opportunity to crew for Lear came up, Charlotte couldn't resist a chance to crew again...and in Edinburgh!
“But do excuse me if I meet you and I don't shake your hand, because I'll probably be covered in golden syrup and cochineal!”

Pictures courtesy of Ségolène Scheuer