About Us

Stephen Lanigan-O'Keeffe (book, music, lyrics)

Composer, lyricist, conductor, teacher, singer, actor and clarinetist, Stephen has musically directed over thirty shows,
including The Pirates of Penzance, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz, Half a Sixpence (which he also
directed) to name a few, and most recently the premieres of Jude the Obscure and Beowulf. He trained in composition,
voice and clarinet at the Flinders Street School of Music in Adelaide, South Australia, where he premiered his first musical,
based on Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris, which enjoyed full houses on both nights. Stephen came to London to help
alleviate the actor shortage and his recent stage roles include the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in Into the Woods (Steiner
Theatre), Smirnov in Chekhov's The Bear, Dominic in David Hare’s Amy's View for the Isle of Man Festival of Plays and
Dr. Seward in Dracula (Upstairs at the Gatehouse). Stephen has composed incidental music for many plays, such as A
Midsummer Night’s Dream, Ulysses, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Canterbury Tales, Fallen Angels and The
Tempest. In addition to theatre work, Stephen has directed many choral groups, such as the Adelaide Italian Madrigal
Singers and the South Australian Italian Women’s Choir. For the last five years, he has been the Musical Co-ordinator of
University College School Junior Branch, where he is noted for very successful music concerts, involving over two hundred
children performing to a high standard. Stephen is currently working on a new musical, Owl, based on the novels of Martin
Hocke.

Paola Cavallin – Director

Paola works between Italy and London directing, performing and writing commedia, children’s shows and clown shows.
She trained at the Avogaria Commedia dell’Arte School in her home town of Venice, where she met her mask (Paola is
herself an acclaimed Pantalone) under the guidance of Enrico Bonavera (second Arlecchino of Il Piccolo in Milan) and
where she also gained inspiration from her work with Eugenio de Giorgi and Carlo Boso. Although she has performed in a
wide variety of genres, from Judith Malina’s Living Theatre to Shakespeare, to clowning with Gerry Flanagan, Paola has
always returned to her first love, the mask. In the UK she has toured nationally and internationally with the Soho Group and
Kazzum. Previous directing work includes Modern Times, in which commedia characters are put in a contemporary
situation – the next Olympics. Paola has also been writing and performing solos for years and some of her work has been
recently published in Milan in an anthology of modern Italian Theatre writing. She teaches in several Acting Schools in
London.

Katka Stanclova - Production Manager

Katka studied at Central School of Speech and Drama after finishing her BA in the Czech Republic. She has produced
Advent concerts at the University of Hradec Kralove (Czech Republic) and organized plays for Jan Zitka's theatre. Katka also
stage managed Beowulf,a New Musical (Cockpit Theatre), Macbeth, Midsummer Night's Dream, The Lion, The Witch and
the Wardrobe, Wind in the Willows as well as countless choral and instrumental concerts. Earlier this year Katka performed
as a City Father in The Wizard of Oz (HBS). Other stage realisations include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the
one-woman play Something about Sara by Sara Campbell.
Katka has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the world of commedia dell'arte through working on Scaramouche.

Gareth Davies – Doc

Gareth trained at Mountview Academy and began his professional career playing the (non-singing) title role in Purcell’s
King Arthur for Trinity College of Music. His delight in playing such a serious role was diminished only slightly by having to
wear a boy-scout uniform throughout. He has since played Moses, Darth Vader, C3PO (and R2D2), Scottie, Mr Sulu, the
original captain of the Enterprise and assorted directors, producers, fans and geeks – and that’s just in one play, the
acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe production of I Am Star Trek, to which he later returned to play the central role of Gene
Roddenberry, Star Trek’s creator. Other credits include Stig of the Dump, Wuthering Heights (Image Musical Theatre),
However Do You Want Me?(Hen and Chickens), Robin Hood (Greenwich Theatre), You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow
(Greenwich Playhouse), The Caring (Market Theatre), Jude (Travesty Players), The Farm (Forest Playwrights), Peter Pan
(tour) and three seasons with Paul Holman Associates, Aladdin (Redditch Palace) and Dick Whittington (Oakengates and
Weston-super-Mare). Gareth is also a founder member of the comedy group No Cause for a Llama, whose first show,
Sitting Around in My Pants should be appearing any decade now. He has also been seen wandering around theme parks,
shops and town centres dressed as pirates, peasants and kings. Reasons for this have not been forthcoming.

Brian Elrick – Scaramouche

Born in Aberdeen, Brian graduated from East 15 and went on to play Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the
Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. He has created roles such as Benedict Dover in The Monday Morning Riots (Blackfriars Arts
Centre), Tyrone McTravis in Cirque de Noel (Alton Theatre) and Ernesto in Love Me Dorothy (Sound Theatre London).
Other theatre credits include The Price of Fame (Gatehouse), Mephisto (Camden People’s Theatre), Aladdin (Brunton
Theatre) Ghost of a Chance (Talk of London Theatre), Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk (Eden Court) and Measure for
Measure (Teatro Technis). Brian has a strong background in musical theatre, having appeared in Street Jazz, All That
Jazz (UK Tour), Harry and Soultrain. He has performed as a lead vocalist on cruise ships including MS Sunbird, in
Carousel for My Travel and with Spirit of the Dance (India, China, USA, Europe and UK tour). Films include Musicians Think
in Sound, The Silver Darlings and Lovers in Life. Brian can also be seen in the new AIDS/HIV Awareness campaign for
MTV.

Hannah Kimpton – Pedrolino

Hannah trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music Drama and then in commedia dell’arte in Centre Selavy, France.
Since then her work his included The Importance of Being Earnest (The Brockley Jack Theatre), An Inspector Calls (Tour de
Force Theatre Company, European tour), Island (Trestle Theatre Company, UK and Netherlands tour), The Snow Queen
(New Vic Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Heatbreak Productions), a sell out run of Shakespeare for Breakfast (Edinburgh
Fringe Festival) as well as numerous shows for children. A member of The Comedy Project for the last three years,
Hannah has appeared in several new pieces and has just finished performing in the very successful 2007 season at The
Soho Theatre. Her film work includes: The Lake (West End Central), The Birth of Peace (Sohrab Kaviri), Trapped
(Goldsmiths) and Edith’s Finger (BBC Welsh BAFTA – Fiction Factory). Hannah has also appeared in corporate videos and
is the joint founder of Upstart Crows and Caw, which specialises in bespoke workshops for young people.

Brenden Lovett – Arlecchino

Brenden first became interested in commedia dell’arte whilst studying it as part of his Arts degree at the University of
Newcastle, Australia. He and some cohorts created a collection of loosely made masks and cobbled together a show that
was performed…twice. He has also played the role of Arlecchino in The Venetian Twins, another commedia-based
musical written, no less, by another Australian. Other credits from home include Hal Prince’s revival of Showboat, The
Merry Widow, The Crucible, A Midsummernight’s Dream at the Sydney Opera House and Pizza for SBS Television. In 2000
Brenden left Australia to train with the Atlantic Theatre Company in New York and then at East 15 in London. Since then he
has performed in productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Return to the Forbidden Planet and The Rocky Horror Show, for
which he was awarded the title of “Best Riff-Raff – Ever” from an internet poll of Italian fans of both the film and stage
production (Scusi, Signore O'Brien). Brenden is currently creating Fairy Dinkum Tales, a series of CDs for children, and
has recently started writing and directing short films.

Colin McGregor – Brighella

Colin was born in the European capital of oil and granite, Aberdeen, in the north east of Scotland. After graduating from the
Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in 2003 he joined the cast of CMC Cruises, where he performed reparatory roles
abroad the MV Aurora, a P&O flagship. That year he also performed at the Theatre Royal. Bury St Edmunds, as King
Richard in Robin Hood. In 2004 Colin toured with Qdos Entertainment as Roddy in Boogie Nights and as Aladdin in, of
course, Aladdin. He returned to the MV Aurora for another two years for its world cruise as a featured performer in The
Blues Brothers and as Jerry Lee Lewis in Rave On. Colin has also appeared in the films Sweet Children, Love Bytes and
Are You Ready, Mr Spielberg?

Becky Pennick – Pantalone

Becky started her professional career as a doughnut and has been most excited whilst learning the skills needed to
become an old man – whatever next? She first trained in performing arts at Winchester University and went on to complete
her Masters degree in Acting Musical Theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Theatre credits include: Lola
del Monte in It’s Only Make Believe (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Justine/Female Creature in Frankenstein, Rosalind in
Mary Stuart (Nuffield Theatre Company), Egwina/Sea Creature in The Legend of Beowulf (Travesty Players), Mina in
Howard Goodall’s The Winter’s Tale, Woman 2/Vi in Play/Come and Go (Embassy Theatre) and Mrs Lovett in Sweeney
Todd (Hampshire Youth Theatre). Film and television credits include Dolly Sister in Marie Lloyd (BBC 4, Hat Trick
Productions), Angela in Topsoil (Whole Hog Films, winner of Best Foreign Short, Santa Cruz Film Festival 2005).

Leon Trayman – Pulcinella

Leon graduated from the Central School of Speech and Drama with a BA (Hons) Acting. Credits whilst at Central include
Tubal in The Merchant of Venice, Marcus Hubbard in Another Part of the Forest, Sir Peter Teazle in The School for
Scandal, Derby in Richard III, Masked Man in Spring Awakening, Caucasian Chalk Circle, St. Antoine in The Speculator
and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. Professional credits include The Elder in Brecht’s Antigone at the BAC and, at the
risk of typecasting, a reprise of Sir Toby Belch. Leon now returns to Central as a visiting auditioner for the Honours
course and is also a co-director of TemperVox.

Claire Wacey – Colombina

Claire studied drama and theatre arts at Goldsmith’s College, University of London, where she was lauded for her
performance as Nicola in The Long Day (a short film), and where she also created the roles of Lucy in The Balcony and
Angela in Little Wifey. Claire toured Western Australia as Maria Felleti in Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist.
Other performance credits include Hansel in Hansel and Gretel – the Musical, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance
(Cramphorne Theatre), Yes, a tribute to Kander and Ebb at Jermyn Street Theatre and created the role of Minet in the new
musical Vincent – Prisoner of a Dream at the Compass Theatre. At the Edinburgh Festival Claire was in the cast of
Godspell and will be returning this year in A Slice of Saturday Night.

Claire Whiffin – Isabella

Claire trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts where her performances included Jenny Beales in Roots, Joan
Noakes in Vinegar Tom, the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, the Liebeslieder in A Little Night Music, Scarecrow in The Wiz and
Claire in Godspell. Among her numerous television credits, Claire has appeared in a David Gray video, as a dancer on
CD:UK, in a pilot for Strictly Come Dancing and as a featured artist in several commercials.

Jo Eggleton-Rance - Papier mache masks, props

A committed art teacher at University College School Junior Branch since her arrival in London nearly thirty years ago, Jo is
also a freelance children's book illustrator, creator of personalised greeting cards and a commissioned portrait artist. She
studied Art and Drama at college in Durham and is a keen member of the Garden Suburb Theatre, for whom she designs
sets and performs as an actress in her own right. Jo has won acclaim for her design for Dracula, The Wizard of Oz and
Robin Hood. She runs a club at UCS where boys take part in theatre related activities such as puppetry, "props" and mask
making and involves herself in many dramatic productions. When Jo manages not to be so busy, she returns to her native
Richmond to recharge her batteries on the North Yorkshire moors and the banks of the River Swale.