ADAM CANAVAN, Writer/Director
The son of an Irish window cleaner and a Northern baker, Adam was born in 1964 in the Lancashire town of Preston.
After leaving school Adam went from job to job, window cleaner, pizza chef, postman, stagehand, all in Preston, until he settled down as a civil servant. At the same time he joined the Preston Drama Club Amateur Dramatics group.
It was with this group that Adam started to write by adding jokes and sketches to the yearly pantomime. He also helped with the devising of one-act plays.
His first full-length play, "Third Finger, Left Hand" is based around the death of his mother and older sister, and the effect they had on the family, especially that of his remaining sister. It is often brutal and realistic in it’s depiction of a family slowly decaying, but is still filled with hope and broad Northern humour, a bit like the author himself.
About his writing Adam says: "I base my writing on things that I am passionate about, or on people who have influenced me. That is why they tend to have a heavy Northern slant to them. I’m just an average Northern bloke".
Paul Knight, Musical Director
Paul studied at Chethams School of Music, Colchester Institute and The Royal College of Music. His Musical Director/Arranging credits include: Goodnight Mr. Tom, Applause, Jacques Brel is…, Little Shop of Horrors, Marry Me a Little, Into the Woods, and Godspell. He has also worked on many pantomimes and revues. He was Musical Director for five national tours for David Wood’s Whirligig Theatre Company. He was Musical Supervisor and Arranger for Spot’s Birthday Party and the musical Shout in the West End. Film and TV credits include Night on the Town, Handel’s Resurrection, Campion, BBC’s Pebble Mill and The Late Show.
As a writer/composer Paul’s output includes the ballet City Slick, Bunter, Ello Ello Ello, Dinosaur (Calgary), Prisoner of Panto (Calgary and London), Esther (Palace Theatre), Shake the Nation, The Happy Prince, as well as eight Christmas shows for Oxford Playhouse Productions, and scores for Caucasian Chalk Circle, Othello and The Winter’s Tale.
Chris Pickles, Director
Chris’s work spans many genres. He directed the UK tour of The King and I (with Stefanie Powers and Marti Webb) and re-directed the West End production of Taboo (with Boy George). He was also an Associate Producer/Director with Kenneth Branagh’s Renaissance Theatre Company. During his time with the company, theatre productions included Uncle Vanya (with Richard Briers, Sian Thomas and Peter Egan) and Coriolanus (with Kenneth Branagh, Iain Glen and Dame Judi Dench) and films included Much Ado About Nothing, Peter’s Friends and Swan Song (with Sir John Gielgud.)
His recent work includes critically acclaimed productions for Oxford Shakespeare Company of The Winter’s Tale, The Comedy of Errors, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth (400th anniversary production in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace), The Taming of the Shrew and The Importance of Being Earnest. For Classical Acting Company in Dallas he has directed Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet and Shakespeare’s Keeper (which he also wrote). Other productions for which he is also writer are The Silent Treatment (Finborough) A Christmas Carol (Shaw) and Treasure Island(Christmas 2007 at the King’s Head).
He was resident Director at The Royal Opera House, New Sadler’s Wells Opera, and resident Stage Director/Producer for a BBC TV/Brent Walker series which included Ruddigore (with Vincent Price and Keith Michell), A Night on the Town (with Anne Reinkin, Elaine Paige and Eartha Kitt), The Yeomen of the Guard (with Joel Grey), The Sorcerer (with Clive Revill), Treasure Island (with Lord Miles), Orpheus in the Underworld (with Dennis Quilley, Honor Blackman and Christopher Gable) and Princess Ida (with Frank Gorshin). His opera work has taken him from Opera North, the Wexford Festival to The Australian Opera. His work as Opera Consultant on Stephen Poliakoff’s new film Capturing Mary was completed in June 2007.
Katie Read, Director
Katie studied at Leeds University and the Drama Studio London before being awarded a year’s bursary at the National Theatre Studio.
Directing credits include: Red on Black (Hen and Chickens); Pains of Youth (National Theatre Studio/Battersea Arts Centre); The Country Doctor (National Theatre Olivier); Blue Remembered Hills and The Libertine which was nominated for Time Out Critics’ Choice (Battersea Arts Centre); Remote Controlled (Etcetera Theatre); After Miss Julie, Miss Julie, The Battle and Epitaph for George Dillon (National Theatre Studio).
As Assistant Director: Hitchcock Blonde (Lyric/Royal Court); The Coast of Utopia (National Theatre Studio) and The Walls (National Theatre Cottesloe).
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