I am 47 years old Englishman, based in Glasgow and married to Karen who is, like me, an actor/drama teacher.
I have been passionate about acting for over 30 years now. At the risk of coming across like some sort of religious nutcase I have always seen my work as a form of prayer or worship, even when I've been dogged by intermittent bouts of agnosticism and spiritual disaffection. Last year I joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) and this has afforded me a far richer insight into what drives me as a human being and as an artist. The Michael Chekhov-inspired ensemble I'd put heart and soul into establishing with a pair of close friends (Razed Curtain Theatre Company) collapsed in betrayals, bitter recriminations and broken dreams in June last year. Since then a long dark night of the soul has ensued, and I have been forced to do much inner work in my attempt to re-establish the essence of what my art means to me. Neither of my former partners has felt the need to act at all since then- (they're too busy having lives, partying, having fun!)- but I suppose my own addiction has always been my work. As someone once said, "Work is more fun than fun". I've never pusued happiness like so many other people i know, only fulfilment, which is something quite different. And so I soldier on in this quixotic quest of mine, continually asking myself: "What do I know?... What can I trust?... What do I have to learn about becoming a better person through my art: how do I become a better artist by becoming a better person?
I have been passionate about acting for over 30 years now. At the risk of coming across like some sort of religious nutcase I have always seen my work as a form of prayer or worship, even when I've been dogged by intermittent bouts of agnosticism and spiritual disaffection. Last year I joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) and this has afforded me a far richer insight into what drives me as a human being and as an artist. The Michael Chekhov-inspired ensemble I'd put heart and soul into establishing with a pair of close friends (Razed Curtain Theatre Company) collapsed in betrayals, bitter recriminations and broken dreams in June last year. Since then a long dark night of the soul has ensued, and I have been forced to do much inner work in my attempt to re-establish the essence of what my art means to me. Neither of my former partners has felt the need to act at all since then- (they're too busy having lives, partying, having fun!)- but I suppose my own addiction has always been my work. As someone once said, "Work is more fun than fun". I've never pusued happiness like so many other people i know, only fulfilment, which is something quite different. And so I soldier on in this quixotic quest of mine, continually asking myself: "What do I know?... What can I trust?... What do I have to learn about becoming a better person through my art: how do I become a better artist by becoming a better person?
This little blog is my humble attempt to communicate some of my meditations on these themes, in the hope that it may speak to someone else's condition. I welcome comments and contributions from those who are interested in acting and spiritual matters.
I have been teaching drama to 13-18 year olds for the last 14 years, but I combine this with a career as an actor /director/ acting teacher in the west of Scotland.
Here are a few of the theatre roles I've played in recent years:
Prospero The Tempest Maggie Lovell Ramshorn Theatre
Lear King Lear Peter Lamb STG
Theseus A Midsummer Night's Dream Kieran Gillespie Collusion
Max The Homecoming Susan Triesman Ramshorn Theatre
Spooner No Man’s Land Peter Lamb STG
Pedagogus Electra Shona McKee Collectives
George Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? John Gilmour STG
Larry Closer Peter Mackie Burns Theatre Fusion
Shylock Merchant of Venice Colin Ellwood Opening Acts (tour)
Cassius Julius Caesar Colin Ellwood Opening Acts (tour)
Juror #3 12 Angry Men Tom Gemmell Theatre Fusion (tour)
Robert Betrayal Michael Emans Rapture Theatre (tour)
Suit Work-In Frank Miller Citizens/Cran Theatre Co
Player Rozencrantz&Guildenstern are Dead Aaron Paterson Ramshorn Theatre
Titus Titus Andronicus Leah Altman Flexible Deadlock
Moss Glengarry Glen Ross Douglas Brice Theatre Fusion/ (tour)
Sam Awake and Sing! Lou Stein Watford Palace Theatre
And in the past 5 years I have directed:
Anna Karenina Razed Curtain Theatre Company
A Hard Heart STG
Macbeth Shakespeare Schools Festival
Timon of Athens Ramshorn Theatre
Awake and Sing! Ramshorn Theatre
The Crucible STG
I have been teaching drama to 13-18 year olds for the last 14 years, but I combine this with a career as an actor /director/ acting teacher in the west of Scotland.
Here are a few of the theatre roles I've played in recent years:
Prospero The Tempest Maggie Lovell Ramshorn Theatre
Lear King Lear Peter Lamb STG
Theseus A Midsummer Night's Dream Kieran Gillespie Collusion
Max The Homecoming Susan Triesman Ramshorn Theatre
Spooner No Man’s Land Peter Lamb STG
Pedagogus Electra Shona McKee Collectives
George Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? John Gilmour STG
Larry Closer Peter Mackie Burns Theatre Fusion
Shylock Merchant of Venice Colin Ellwood Opening Acts (tour)
Cassius Julius Caesar Colin Ellwood Opening Acts (tour)
Juror #3 12 Angry Men Tom Gemmell Theatre Fusion (tour)
Robert Betrayal Michael Emans Rapture Theatre (tour)
Suit Work-In Frank Miller Citizens/Cran Theatre Co
Player Rozencrantz&Guildenstern are Dead Aaron Paterson Ramshorn Theatre
Titus Titus Andronicus Leah Altman Flexible Deadlock
Moss Glengarry Glen Ross Douglas Brice Theatre Fusion/ (tour)
Sam Awake and Sing! Lou Stein Watford Palace Theatre
And in the past 5 years I have directed:
Anna Karenina Razed Curtain Theatre Company
A Hard Heart STG
Macbeth Shakespeare Schools Festival
Timon of Athens Ramshorn Theatre
Awake and Sing! Ramshorn Theatre
The Crucible STG
I will be directing House of Bernada Alba at Eastwood Theatre, Glasgow in April 2009.
I am currently a member of The Actor's Bothy (http://www.theactorsbothy.com/).
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