Biography
Born: Oxford. Educated: Dulwich College - where, after a flying start in gaining a scholarship, my academic career went steadily downhill. I was far more interested in cricket and the school play, but did manage to be awarded one school prize for History – in the form of a play about Thomas Cromwell. My first performance in the school play was as an attendant lord to Simon Brett’s Prospero and my last was as Sir Politick Would-Be in Volpone.
School life had also, mercifully, been lightened by trips to Berlin and Haarlem, Netherlands, to represent Britain in the International Youth Drama Festival. My performances in Yeats’ The Hawk’s Well and as Jesus in a cycle of Mystery Plays were woefully wide of the mark, but I was undaunted and, after leaving Dulwich, went on to train at Webber-Douglas. My acting career (see Performance section) lasted 16 years, but marriage and parenthood necessitated a sideways move into something more substantial financially. [In 1983 I married actress Lynne Ross (divorced 2005), the daughter of theatre producer Charles Ross, and our children Sophie and Antony were born in 1984 and 1987 respectively. Three grandchildren, Maisie, Alfie and Sidney. Married Kym Lyons in 2024.]
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Apart from Antony's birth, 1987 also marked the birth of my business partnership with fellow actor Philip Talbot. Philip Talbot Productions became a very successful event production company. In the course of 19 years, PTP staged and produced over 600 awards ceremonies, conferences, launches and other business presentations in the UK and overseas (see Corporate Events). The company was sold in 2006 to Elevation Event Production, thereby disappearing into the world of Formula One Grand Prix extravaganzas, which sadly ensured an early demise for Elevation.
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After a stint back in the freelance world as an event producer, another career unexpectedly fell into my lap when I was appointed as Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Scriveners, of which I had been a member since 1972, serving as Master in 2003-04 (the only way in which I followed in my father’s footsteps). I remained as Clerk (or CEO as many Clerks are now styled) for nine years, retiring from that role in January 2020, just before everybody had to stay at home and wash their hands every ten minutes.
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Throughout all this time I maintained my interest in theatre, both continuing to write and produce plays and serving as a reviewer for WhatsOnStage for six years. My own company, Close Quarter Productions Ltd, grew out of various fringe shows in Edinburgh, Brighton and London (see Writing section). I am a member of the Writers' Guild, a founder member of the Terence Rattigan Society, and a life member of both the Garrick Club and the Scriveners Company.
