Agency News

A sensational sell-out run for ARUNA JALLOH and EMMANUEL AKWAFO at the Royal Court Theatre

Monday, 25th April 2022

Our brilliant clients Aruna Jalloh (left) and Emmanuel Akwafo (right) have great roles in what is fast becoming an iconic moment in theatre history.  We congratulate them both in a special hour.  A week’s extension to a packed Royal Court run was sold out almost immediately and the toughest seasoned casting directors, producers, directors and actors are emerging moved and emotional from this extraordinary show.  

https://royalcourttheatre.com/...

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"What a joyous, sad, beautiful piece it is — muscular, vibrant, deeply tender."

Financial Times

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Beyond beautiful...There is trauma, swagger, laughter, and above all there is love. It’s almost overwhelmingly moving."

The i

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"Simply put, this is an exquisite show. 

Culture Whisper

★ ★ ★ ★

"Uproariously funny... tender, poignant."

The Times

★ ★ ★ ★

"Hilarious but also very moving...There’s a whole lot of joy to savour here."

Evening Standard

★ ★ ★ ★

"Writer Ryan Calais Cameron's script is courageous to tackle such demanding themes in a loving and conscientious way. His poetry is light and playful even when it examines heavy themes and visceral trauma."

Broadway World

★ ★ ★ ★

"Lively and meaningful...One of its triumphs is to demonstrate that there is no homogenous experience of blackness."

WhatsOnStage

JUSTIN BUTCHER has three OFFIE nominations for SCARAMOUCHE JONES

Sunday, 30th January 2022

Our brilliant  JUSTIN BUTCHER has a trio of OFFIE  shortlisted nominations for the 20th anniversary revival of his play 

SCARAMOUCHE JONES 

at Wilton’s Music Hall in 2021.   We’re rooting for you for a hat-trick!   The nominations are as follows:

LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY - Justin Butcher       

PRODUCTION - Scaramouche Jones Team      

VIDEO DESIGN - Damian Hale

From quirky and absurd to bleakly desperate, the clown’s life is a rollercoaster of emotion. This is part of what makes Scaramouche stand out. It is astonishingly gripping thanks to Butcher’s performance; his delivery is always apt and often moving  Michael Higgs - THE UPCOMING

EDWARD BOURNE presents his work in progress show MI MI CRY at Canal Cafe

Saturday, 13th November 2021

Exciting upcoming actor and comedy talent 

EDWARD BOURNE 

presents his ongoing work on his first solo show MI MI CRY at the Canal Cafe Theatre 

https://canalcafetheatre.com/our-shows/mi-mi-cry/

Ed is best known for his screen and stage work including regular role in KNIGHTFALL series (Netflix/History Ch) guest in SILENT WITNESS and TINA (Aldwych Theatre) but has also done stand-up in his native Bristol and can even turn his wonderful imagination to nailing some great impressions.

RACHEL OGILVY makes her first appearance on 22nd November (BBC Scotland) and 23rd November (BBC1 Scotland only) in RIVER CITY in a returning role

Saturday, 13th November 2021

RACHEL OGILVY 

joins the cast of popular tv drama RIVER CITY in a returning role.  Glasgow and London based Rachel is loving being back in a returning role after her ‘Tiffany Bowles’ in HIGH ROAD and Bethany Quinn in FAMILY AFFAIRS.   Rachel works in both tv and theatre, with recent credits including her brilliant performance in WESTMINSTER HOUR written and performed with JHA client ANDY PATERSON over the past three active seasons at Edinburgh and work at Oran Mor and Traverse Theatre and touring with Paines Plough.  She is also a regular with Glasgow women’s comedy collective WITSHERFACE performing live and online.

Tiran Aakel jumps into a leading role in OUR WHITE SKODA OCTAVIA for Eastern Angles

Wednesday, 6th October 2021

TIRAN AAKEL 

- always up for an adventure - has jumped in at a week’s notice to play a leading role in new play OUR WHITE SKODA OCTAVIA for Eastern Angles -

The production opens 6th October at the Sir John Mills Theatre in Ipswich and tours to Derby, Corby, Guildford and others until early November

https://easternangles.co.uk/ev...

SANDS STIRLING is celebrating as '1902' garners a BOBBY Award and an Offie Nomination

Sunday, 29th August 2021

Congratulations SANDS STIRLING (pic r. above) now into his final Edinburgh Fringe Festival weekend on the receiving end of enthusiastic 4 and 5* reviews (including from 'Trainspotting' author Irvine Welsh) for 

'1902' 

- a visceral, dark, funny and very moving story set amongst Hibernian football supporters drawn into a revenge tragedy.   This remarkable show has just won the coveted BOBBY award from Broadway Baby and is now also nominated for an Offie.   Sands and the writer of 1902 Nathan Scott-Dunn have also co-directed the production.

Scott-Dunn and Stirling both have times when they can reveal the humanity and vulnerabilty that lies beneath the brash exterior and bravado. Between them they have created a masterpiece of visceral theatre and assembled a cast of extraordinarily talented actors. BROADWAY BABY ****

Great piece of writing, acting and directing - thanks for having me - what a show!IRVINE WELSH (on twitter)

the performances from the seven-strong cast are searingly powerful; not least from Scott-Dunn himself as Deeks and Sands Stirling as his “radge” brother TonyTHE SCOTSMAN ****

The unstable aggression in moments has flitters of genuine terror from Sands Stirling COR BLIMEY ****

AOIFE BOYLE kicks off the autumn theatre season

Sunday, 29th August 2021

A fresh and energised new talent AOIFE BOYLE kicks off our autumn theatre season in a gritty and telling new family drama @WhiteBearTheatre

Fault Lines

by Cameron Corcoran

After a fire burns down their home, Gemma and Ariel are taken in by a quarrelling couple who enjoy bringing in the traumatised mother and daughter into their matrimonial war-games. As ideas of happy families and dealing with loss brim to the surface, troubling revelations expose the pain and depravity these four people live by. An Off Main Stage Production, this play continues the theatre company's exploration into family, relationships and working class struggles.

Reviews of our Previous Shows:
**** LondonTheatre1: A gritty portrait of working class life - and death." Stags, 2021, Network Theatre
**** LondonTheare1: "An intriguing portrayal of vulnerability, frustration and determination." Lone Star Diner, 2019, Omnibus Theatre
**** The Spy in the Stalls: "Playwright Corcoran handles this material with confidence." Stags, 2021, Network Theatre
**** London Reviewer: "Cleverly constructed and written drama... Corcoran's defined, distinct style is engrossing, and sharply observed." Lone Star Diner, 2019, Omnibus Theatre

FAULT LINES RUNS from 9th to the 18th September at 7.30pm (running time 85 mins straight through)

Appreciation for Beth Lilly in THE GAME OF LOVE AND CHANCE at the Arcola Theatre

Tuesday, 20th July 2021

BETH LILLY  has made a terrific post-pandemic return to the stage in the role of 'Lisette' in a updated THE GAME OF LOVE AND CHANCE by Pierre de Marivaux adapted and directed by Jack Gamble and Quentin Beroud at the new Arcola Outside theatre space.   Here are some reviews for brilliant Beth:

...the very funny Beth Lilly the standout – she stopped the show at one point. LONDON THEATRE 1

...Lilly, however, is the real scene-stealer – an effortlessly funny performance of Lisette-as-Sylvie, the classic crafty maid of Italian comedy THE REVIEWS HUB

...impressive comic aplomb THE TIMES

...Beth Lilly is likable as Lisette and there’s something about the commitment in her performance – her genuine desire to live the life of a rich and privileged woman – that tugs at the heartstrings THE GUARDIAN

SIMON CARTWRIGHT nails another comedy legend in HOWERDS END UK Tour

Sunday, 9th May 2021

SIMON CARTWRIGHT

familiar in the role of Bob Monkhouse on stage and screen (TOAST OF LONDON Ch4/THE MAN CALLED MONKHOUSE - Assembly Rooms Edinburgh) is out on UK tour this year after a 4* reviewed first London run of HOWERDS END by Mark Farrelly, who also co-stars as Frankie Howerd's partner in later years.   Simon takes on the role of Frankie Howerd, looking behind the innuendo, catch phrases and brilliant timing and repartee that made him a household name.   Direction is by the excellent Joe Harmston.

The performances are so extraordinarily accomplished and assured that we are pretty much held, somewhere between laughter and despair. Simon Cartwright as Frankie Howerd has a difficult task which he accomplishes impressively. He plays the heart of a man best known for his exuberantly mannered exterior and I think we do get to see it beat.  BROADWAY BABY

Cartwright has nailed the whoops and rasps of Howerd’s delivery to perfection, but he also makes him vulnerable – a man terrified of his own happiness. THE STAGE

HOWERD'S END Tour Dates:

15, 16 + 17 July: Town and Gown, Cambridge

24 July:  Lichfield Garrick

9 September:  Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis.   

6, 7, 8, 9, 10 October:   Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

23 October:   Stamford Arts Centre

28 October:   Rondo Theatre, Bath

29 October:   Quay Theatre, Suffolk

6 November:   Millgate Arts Centre, Saddleworth    

11 + 12 November: Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham

11 + 12 December: Museum of Comedy, London    

MATTHEW LAWRENCE makes his tv debut 5th June in CASUALTY

Sunday, 9th May 2021

Recent graduate of London School of Musical Theatre, Matthew has made a flying start with a great guest role in 

airing Saturday 5th June.

PHIL DEGUARA plays East End Villain Jack McVitie in new '60's movie

Sunday, 2nd May 2021

PHIL DEGUARA one of our brilliant London Boyz has taken on the role of legendary East End villain Jack McVitie (murdered by the Krays and posthumously credited with their final downfall) in upcoming movie CODE OF SILENCE starring Stephen Moyer (TRUE BLOOD) and directed by Ben Mole.   Dead ringer Phil! 

First trailer for Patryk Vega's SMALL WORLD

Monday, 5th April 2021

@patrykvega's explosive new movie about child-trafficking, SMALL WORLD premieres in 2021 and features three fine JHA clients JIM CONWAY, SALLY DAY and MONTSERRAT ROIG DE PUIG all cast by our valued and long-term collaborator in Warsaw, casting director Ewa Lepacka.   Here's the trailer:

LAURA BARRACLOUGH debuts as co-lead in GOLDIES OLDIES

Monday, 15th March 2021

We're thrilled to announce the tv debut of LAURA BARRACLOUGH as a lead regular in brand new ten part NICKELODEON series 

launching with Ep 1:

15 MARCH 2021

5.30pm

NICKELODEON

Laura plays 'Loren' the legend and BBF of Goldie, a teenager whose life is turned upside down when her family relocates from the US to the UK and moves in with their Grandpa Maury and his three ‘70 something’ roommates.

http://www.nick.co.uk/shows/go...

SIMON YADOO inhabits the Cowardly Lion

Tuesday, 22nd December 2020

SIMON YADOO is currently delighting audiences in a role he was surely born to play - the Cowardly Lion in THE WIZARD OF OZ!  He's part of a crack cast at Creation Theatre re-inventing a well-known tale in an inventive LIVE ZOOM production playing 2pm and 7pm performances until 3rd January.   Roar!

MICHAEL SMITH-STEWART channelling his Jamaican roots in Holby City

Tuesday, 1st December 2020

Catch MICHAEL SMITH-STEWART channelling his Jamaican roots as 'Solomon' - a happy go lucky guy admitted to Holby with one problem that leads to another... 1st December at 7.50pm BBC 1 then on BBC iPlayer.

MONTSERRAT ROIG DE PUIG's short movie monologue screens at the 2020 Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival

Friday, 23rd October 2020

MONTSERRAT ROIG DE PUIG has filmed one of a group of monologues as part of Nuria Benet's CHATTING HEADS (CABEZAS PARLANTES) screening at the 2020 Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival 

Friday 23rd October and Sunday 25th October

Cabezas Parlantes is a competition for short monologues, born out of the need to explore different ways of creating and collaborating during the COVID 19 era. In its first round more than 200 monologues of 500 words were submitted and Montserrat's is one of the finalists - congratulations!
https://www.edinburghspanishfi...

Top reviews for our Lucia McAnespie in Big Telly's innovative MACBETH

Friday, 23rd October 2020

Big Telly's astonishing Live Zoom production of MACBETH is garnering some great reviews - amongst them some great mentions for our brilliant 

LUCIA MCANESPIE

Live. Virtual. Immersive. On Zoom.
@BigTellyNI @creationtheatre

hosted by CREATION THEATRElive streamed performances: 

Nightly until 31 October: 7.00pm

23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31 October: 9.30pm

DURATION: 80 minutes

'The final actor is Lucia McAnespie whose brief scenes as Lady Macduff are unforgettable and whose death provides one of the most horrifying scenes I have ever seen in a theatre.'LondonTheatre1 

Dharmesh Patel, Lucia McAnespie and Aonghus Óg McNally are the first characters we see on screen but they work hard for their buck performing every other role other than the Macbeths. They shine as servants, Banquo and the Macduffs. However as an ensemble they are the best incarnation of the witches I have ever seen. emerdblog.com

NICOLA BLACKMAN guests on stage + screen

Thursday, 8th October 2020

On Saturday Nicola will be presenting one of the awards at the

 BLACK BRITISH THEATRE AWARDS 2020 at the YOUNG VIC THEATRE.  This fabulous event will then be airing on SkyArts Channel later in October.

I hear the frock, like it's wearer, is a showstopper!

ARTHUR BOSTROM presents 'Pick Of The Week' this Sunday

Tuesday, 15th September 2020

We're very much looking forward to Arthur Bostrom sharing his #PickOfTheWeek BBC Radio 4 this coming Sunday,  20th September 2020 at 6.15pm.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mrc5

This is Arthur's second 'Pick' and he is familiar on radio both acting in many radio dramas and presenting a diversity of programmes from READINGS FROM SAMUEL PEPYS DIARIES for BBC R3 to ARTHUR BOSTROM'S SUMMER HOLIDAY (BBC R4 Extra) and for WORDS AND MUSIC, a fascinating half hour on the subject of the double-entendre!

Catch SIMON CARTWRIGHT in TOAST OF LONDON on Ch4 All4.

Thursday, 27th August 2020

SIMON CARTWRIGHT 

is back on view in the re-run of brilliant Matt Berry series TOAST OF LONDON in Series 3 Episode 4 BOB A JOB. Simon plays Bob Monkhouse with uncanny accuracy, a skill he has honed over the years on TV impression shows including WHO DO YOU DO?, the award-winning short film THE LAST LAUGH and the hit solo play THE MAN CALLED MONKHOUSE that packed them in at Pleasance Edinburgh. Simon is currently preparing a new play about another comedy legend Frankie Howerd, directed by Joe Harmston and on tour in 2021 as soon as theatres re-open.