Paul Copley (Ethan Page)
Originally from Denby Dale, Yorkshire, Paul was educated at Penistone Grammar School and Northern Counties College of Education, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Paul taught English and Drama in Walthamstow before joining Leeds Playhouse Theatre in Education Company (director, Roger Chapman) as an actor/teacher in 1971. Paul’s television credits include TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF MEN, GEORGE GENTLY, KINGDOM for Parallel Films/ITV1, CORONATION STREET, LIFE ON MARS, SHAMELESS and THE STREET. He was a regular in three series of HORNBLOWER, both series of THE LAKES, both series of THIS LIFE, three series of CRACKER and QUEER AS FOLK. Film credits include JUDE, directed by Michael Winterbottom, and REMAINS OF THE DAY, directed by James Ivory. Theatre credits include KING LEAR, THE FRONTLINE, BREATHING CORPSES at the Royal Court, and SING YER HEART OUT FOR THE LADS at the National.
Paul won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a New Play for his role in John Wilson’s FOR KING AND COUNTRY.
Olivia Vinall (Sophie)
Olivia studied drama at the University of East Anglia and is a graduate of Drama Studio London. Olivia’s first professional role was Juliet in ROMEO & JULIET (2010) at the Leicester Square Theatre, directed by Linnie Reedman. Her performance attracted much critical acclaim and prompted Libby Purves to write in The Sunday Times
“…her Juliet is frankly wonderful. She actually looks 13 and, despite her mastery of the verse, she convincingly acts 13: an obedient child of privilege, shocked by her rush of feeling, capable of fragile craftiness and self-doubting recklessness, full of blooming, ragged, headlong love. Not a word or gesture was less than true.”
Olivia was nominated for the 2010 Spotlight Showcase prize.
Julie Amanada Bokowiec (writer)
Julie is a writer and theatre artist with a long creative association with the Lawrence Batley Theatre. Since 2002 Julie has concentrated on writing and her recent plays have been nominated and short-listed for a number of major awards including the Whitbread London Fringe Theatre Award for THE RED ROOM, the Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award for PUNCH & BITE (TOBY-DOG-SAVAGE), the Bruntwood, also for TOBY-DOG-SAVAGE and the Alfred Bradley Award (BBC Radio). As a director and choreographer Julie has created original dance and music theatre works in association with Opera North and Trestle Theatre Company and has been commissioned by, among others, Royal Theatre Bath, Bradford Theatres, Harrogate International Festival, the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and a range of international festivals. As a performer Julie regularly tours work internationally and is an established figure in the field of digital theatre and interactive performance. Julie is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Huddersfield (CeReNeM).
David Tucker (director)
David Tucker has created work for the RSC and a variety of regional theatres including Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Playhouse and the Library Theatre Manchester. David is regularly at the helm of a number of the BBC’s flagship dramas including LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD and EASTENDERS. Other directing credits include, DALZIEL & PASCOE with Warren Clarke, THE LAST DETECTIVE Peter Davison & Sean Hughes and WHERE THE HEART IS (SPECIAL). David was the establishing principle director on BRAMWELL and his film credits including RHINOCEROS with Robson Green and Niamh Cusack. Awards nominations include a British Comedy Awards nomination (Best Single Film) for A VERY POLISH PRACTICE, an RTS nomination (Best Drama Serial) for THE GRAVY TRAIN. David worked on BEHAVING BADLY starring Judi Dench attracting an International Emmy Nomination for Best Serial, and A VERY PECULIAR PRACTICE (Series I & II) which attracted nominations for both RTS and BAFTA Best Serial awards.
Charles Cusick Smith (designer)
Charles trained at Glasgow School of Art and The Slade School of Art, London and was an Arts Council Trainee Designer with English National Ballet. Charles has worked in the UK and internationally designing opera, ballet, drama, and musicals.
His designs for the Leicester Haymarket Theatre production of THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS won Charles the T.M.A. Award for Best Designer in 1993. Since then Charles has designed a number of European Premières of Sondheim’s FOLLIES, PACIFIC OVERTURES and SWEENEY TODD. National Tours and West End productions include: DUSTY (with Mari Wilson), HOT STUFF, HEAVENLY BODIES, WEST SIDE STORY (with Caroline O’Connor), SLICE OF SATURDAY NIGHT (with Barbara Dickson), CHICAGO, ROCK HARD, HOLD TIGHT IT’S 60′S NIGHT, COMPANY and IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR. His recent designs include BUS STOP and NANNA for the Pitlockry Festival Theatre (2010).
Mark Bokowiec (composer)
Mark is the manager of the electro-acoustic music studios and the new Spacialization and Interactive Research Lab at the University of Huddersfield where he lectures in interactive performance, interface design and composition. Commissions include interactive instruments and a new performance work CYBORG DREAMING for The Science Museum London, TRICORDER for ensemble QTR and ZERO IN THE BONE for trombonist Barry Webb and various sound installations including A PASSAGE TO INDIA for Wakefield City Art Gallery, now in the gallery’s public collection. Mark regularly creates and tours work for the BODYCODER a unique interactive performance system for solo performer and live sound processing. CD credits include ROUTE (2001) on MPS and GHOSTS (2000) on Sonic Art from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Huddersfield and Newcastle also on the MPS label. Mark’s recent work AMERA was selected as a finalist for the prestigious 2009 Arts Electroniques des Concours internationaux de Bourges award.
Michael Lock (lighting design)
Mike trained at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in stage-management & technical theatre. Since then Mike has worked on and lit shows covering most forms of theatre. In his current position as chief electrician for Opera North he has re-lit over 50 operas including the multi award winning PETER GRIMES and the recently broadcast (Sky Arts) PINOCCHIO. Mike was part of the initial team that opened the Lawrence Batley Theatre in 1994 and is thrilled to be collaborating once again with Julie Bokowiec and the LBT for whom he has previously creating memorable lighting designs for shows including A PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY (set by Charles Cusick Smith), ALICE and STREET SCENE (directed by Julie Bokowiec).
Keith Radley (stage manager)
Keith trained at Mountview Theatre School. He was the production manager of the Prince of Orange theatre winning, in two seasons, a London Fringe Theatre Award, the Peter Brook Empty Space, Time Out Award and a Guinness Fringe Production Award. Since then he has gone on to both stage and company manage a range of national tours and West End productions including THE REAL INSPECTOR HOUND/BLACK COMEDY (Donmar Warehouse) GIRLS NIGHT OUT (Paul Farrar) LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER and GASLIGHT (RKO). Keith regularly company manages for Bruce James Productions touring productions such as THERE GOES THE BRIDE and HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVE. Keith recently stage managed Sally Burgess’s directorial début production of COSI FAN TUTTE for the English Chamber Opera.
Alan Rudkin (songwriter)
Alan studied music at The University of Huddersfield and is currently completing an MA in Music Therapy at the Royal Northern College of Music. Alan is an accomplished singer/songwriter and has performed in as well as composed and musical directed numerous professional and large-scale community theatre productions, both within the UK and in Europe. Alan regularly tours his own solo concert projects notably THE USUAL UNUSUAL and PINSTRIPED MESSIAH’S and most recently THE HANGING TREE. His CD publication credits include PARALLEL MARTYRS. When Alan is not performing and composing he works as a choral conductor, arts facilitator, lecturer and music therapist, working with music as a form of communication, supporting both health and positive change.
Georgina Raffle (costume maker)
Georgina is a recent graduate of the BA(Hons) Costume & Textile Design course at the University of Huddersfield where she studied a range of approaches to design, construction and textile creation and experimentation, specialising in print and dyeing techniques. Georgina has created costumes for MARY STUART working alongside designer Lara Booth and is particularly interested in the development of characterisation using fabric and garment shape as well as pattern drafting and textile manipulation.
Chris Brearley (assistant stage manager)
Chris has been connected with theatre for over 35 years, as his parents were tireless amateur theatre practitioners, it was inevitable that Chris would eventually make theatre his choice of career. Chris is a regular member of the LBT’s technical crew and has designed sound and lighting for LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, CAROUSEL, SUMMER HOLIDAY, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, COPACABANA. He also produces pantomime and still manages to keep his feet “on the boards” each Christmas when he can usually be found playing the pantomime dame.
The Last Cuckoo website design and mastering is by SYNCHRONICITY (Juliet Pennington). The production print layout and design is by CLAYTON CREATIVES. The set construction is by DOVETAIL and our wonderful production image BIRD MADONNA is by the American photomontage artist ELENA RAY.
There have been a string of really strange coinsidences around this show – today we discovered that Opera North is rehearsing The Gypsy Bible in the studio downstairs. It’s like the north has invaded the People Show! The Gypsy Bible is the next show into the LBT after The Last Cuckoo closes – wheird or what! And, I absolutely recommend it – the music coming out of their rehearsal studio sounds amazing – great fun.
