Production Profiles: Cast Member Helena Dowling

Helena Dowling trained at The London Studio, Identity School of Drama and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. She has an impressive track record of film television, theatre and musical credits to her name, spanning traditional, classical and contemporary works.

Notably, Helena has been featured in a number of prestigious award winning and nominated films, plays and musicals, such as Totally Frank and the acclaimed Olivier award winning production Soul Sister. She is currently featuring in the short film CTLR, Which was selected for the British Film Festival and London Film Festival and awarded at the LA Spotlight and Garden State festival along with 7 other awards.

Last year she was selected to dance for Solange in her short film for the opening of the Tate Tanks building at Tate Modern.

Theatre roles include Loretta in Break Every Rule and Millie in 27 Club, both of which toured in Europe and Rhoma in Soul Sister. They also include Tiger Lily, Princess Jasmine and numerous dance roles including extensive choreography credits. Helena has consistently been presenting on children’s television for Nick Jr she also wrote and created ‘Kushaboom’ For Nick Jr! about world dance for children. She has also featured in a number of music videos including Kylie and Tinie Tempah.

You can see Helena playing Chloe in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Craig Abbot

Craig Abbott’s Television, film and theatre credits demonstrate wide ranging and sometimes controversial roles including Option in Red Room Cut the Chat, Richie Campbell, Steven in Housed for Old Vic New Voices, Alexander Ferris, Father in Through Daddy’s Eyes, Prams in the Hall, Ain Rashida Sykes.
RSA Films, Stuart Rideout, Option, Red Room, Square Yard, Femi Oyeniran, DCI Carter, The Garages, Red Route Productions, Dean Richards, Detective Gates, 21st century fate, Darkstar, Sam Smith, Marty, and so it ends, Q-Ell Benton, Sonny, 3 STOPS, Pick N Mix Films, Chris Bell.
Craig has also been featured in a number of high profile commercials including Commuter 1, In bed with Lenny, Premier Inn, James Griffiths, Dinner Guest 2, Own the Weekend, Guardian News paper, Tim Godsall, Are you in, William Hill Online Poker. Craig is currently co writing and producing a play due to go into production later this year.

You can see Craig playing Dawes in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Lavern Archer

Lavern Archer is a Jamaican born Actress. Her theatre career includes working at Roots and Blue Mountain Theatre playing the lead consistently in sell out show such as Postman, playing to thousands of fans in London and across the country at The Hammersmith Apollo, Hackney Empire and Leeds Grand. Lavern is a very accomplished writer and set up the innovative kitchen theatre in South London. Diners would have the joy of eating home cooked Caribbean food whilst watching the play happen around them. Lavern played Nita in the original production of Sitting In Limbo at the Tricycle Theatre in London and again in the Caribbean. A veteran actress whose work includes, leading lady in Oliver Samuel’s Mr. Incredible, Sting in The Greatest Show on Earth, Dutty Wine, Deportee, I’ve Got Your Man, Trevor Rhone’s Two Can Play, Confession of a Black Woman, and The Wedding, among her film credits are Passa Passa. Lavern’s performance as a 76 year old controlling, feisty, but funny old woman earned her rave reviews in Shall I Kill Mama by Trevor Thomas.

You can see Lavern playing Princess in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Robert Maskell

Before training to become an actor Robert Maskell was a professional musician playing the French Horn for The Philharmonia. His successful acting career credits include his critically acclaimed performance as Victor Green in Bar Mitzvah Boy (Upstairs at the Gatehouse); Sir Toby Belch Twelfth Night (Iris Theatre); Tabarro, Georges & Albin – La Cage aux Folles (The Playhouse); Trio & Max Detweiler The Sound of Music (London Palladium); Pedro Blind Eye and Pasden Compliance (Theatre 503); Carney A Man of No Importance (Salisbury Playhouse); Duncan & The Porter Macbeth and King Edward IV & Catesby Richard III (Guildford Shakespeare Company); BBC Interviewer End of the Rainbow and Roger Zimmerman Birds of a Feather (No. 1 Tours); Wilfred Cedar For Services Rendered (Union Theatre); The King Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Forty Hall Open Air Theatre); Robert has played a number of characters in productions for Blue Mountain Theatre. His television and film credits include: King Edward III London: The Greatest City (Channel 4); Franz (BBC) Daniel A Simple Man (Wychwood Films).

You can see Robert playing Palmer the plantation owner in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Darien Charles

Darien Charles is an aspiring actor, from a young age he has had a passion for theatre and the arts. Having joined Stratford East Youth Committee and their acclaimed poets group he went on to win a Jack Petchey award for his leadership displayed. Darien performed and wrote in collaboration with the Stratford East ensemble, ‘The Poets Manifesto’ production in Theatre Royal’s Studio Space and The Arcola Theatre. A production he and fellow youth committee members sought funding for from the Swan Foundation in a successful pitch that brought the show to the stage. Darien went on to perform in a ground breaking production of live arts and spoken word on a moving train piece called CR2 which was funded by the Arts Council England.
Darien was one of the five winners of a poetry competition inspired and designed by Vivienne Westwood. As a result his poem was published and he performed it at a spoken word event at Keats House in London.
Darien has been commissioned to produce and direct a number of social enterprise and promotional short films. His most recent project is his own work, a short film, ‘En Passant’, which he wrote, produced and directed. It is currently out on the festival circuit.

You can see Darien playing Cupid in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Merric Boyd

Merric studied acting at LAMDA and Arts Educational. His stage credits include Deflores in the Changeling , Greg Mendez in The Long Bench and most recently Admiral Bullen in A Chatham Conversation.

TV work includes several roles in Derren Brown’s Trick or Treat and he has also had several film roles including Rick in Galatea, and Ben in Tomoko. Merric is also an accomplished pianist.

You can see Merric playing The Doctor in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Charles Tomlin

Charles Tomlin is a Jamaican born actor of excellent repute. He has acted in the UK for 30 years and was a much loved actor back in Jamaica before that.

His acting has included performing major roles in Jamaican plays by acclaimed writers such as Michael Denton and Floyd Knight. He started out in this country with the ground breaking Company, Roots Theatre, who were based at the award winning Brixton Village. He was snapped up to play the memorable character ‘Postie’ in ‘Postman’ and ‘Boysie’ in ‘Ded Lef’. He went on to play many other roles with Roots Theatre including some hard hitting shows, which explored the injustices of the ‘Poll Tax’ laws in the late 1980s.

He moved on to work consistently for Blue Mountain Theatre spanning 15 years, playing the lead in sell out shows, such as ‘The Perfect Black Man’, an exciting adaptation by Floyd of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. Charles is a comic genius on stage because of his timing, wit and ability to play pathos with style and empathy. He is also an accomplished stand up comedian with his own loyal following always eager to see him on stage.

Charles will be playing Rhone in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Nathan Thomas

London based, British born. Actor, model and youth worker, Nathan Thomas grew up in London with Jamaican parents. He attended and trained at both Morley Drama studio and Anna Shears Drama school. As an actor he has participated in various forms of productions from stage, film, TV and an interactive radio play. Nathan discovered his passion for performing arts when he was a small child being cast for his school nativity play. Ever since Nathan has been pursing this passion with great enthusiasm and determination. He continues to nurture and develop his skills.

Nathan will be playing Sammy in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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White Witch Full Cast List

We are delighted to announce the full cast list for White Witch:

Elisa Boyd will be playing Annie Palmer
Robert Maskell will be playing Simon Palmer
Helena Dowling will be playing Chloe
Craig Abbot will be playing Dawes
Lavern Archer will be playing Princess
Charles Tomlin will be playing Rhone
Darien Charles will be playing Cupid
Nathan Thomas will be playing Sammy
Merric Boyd will be playing The Doctor

About the play

From acclaimed Jamaican writer Barry Reckord it tells the story of a young white woman who falls in love with a black man at a time when their love is forbidden. The play deals with fallout from their relationship from forced marriage to barbaric punishments which provoked communities and inspired uprisings. Based on a true story set around Rose hall in 18^th century Jamaica it is a tale of mysticism, love, cruelty and revenge cast against the unforgiving backdrop of the transatlantic slave trade. This powerful, moving and thought provoking play is a must see

Book your tickets now! Call 02073521967 or click on the link below

http://www.chelseatheatre.org.uk/project/white-witch/

You can also read the first of our cast profiles about Elisa Boyd here

We will be updating this blog with more details about the play and the cast so make sure you follow us here and on social media for all of the latest details.

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Production Profiles: Cast Member Elisa Boyd

 

Elisa honed her craft by training at the University of Birmingham and ArtsEd. London. She has made numerous Theatre and TV and Film appearances.

Her theatre credits include A Christmas Carol at the Rose Theatre in Kingston and Trafalgar Studios in London, Sweet Charity at the New Wolsey Theatre in Suffolk, The Borrowers at the Northern Stage Theatre in Newcastle, Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation and Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime for the No. 1 Tour, A Big Day For The Goldbergs at the New End Theatre in London, Sunset Boulevard at the Watermill Theatre in West Berkshire which also had a transfer to the West End at the the Comedy Theatre (now the Harold Pinter Theatre), She Stoops to Conquer at the Birmingham Rep, ISL laboratory at the Almeida Theatre in London and for the Sydney Theatre Company, Amadeus at the Wiltons Music Hall, Five Thirty and Gift of The Magi at the King’s Head in London and a UK Tour as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet.

Her TV credits include Orchestra for production company Tiger Aspect and US comedy Good Job, Thanks!

Her Film Credits include London to Brighton, Sogni D’oro, Art In Heaven, Children Of Sorrow, Lola Malady, Standing Room Only, The Sun Always Shines and Galatea.

She is also an award winning writer and director. Her first film as writer – director (Sogni D’Oro – Dreams of Gold) won Best Drama at the Portobello Film Festival in London and her second- Art in Heaven- is currently touring the International festival circuit.

Elisa Boyd will be starring as Annie Palmer in White Witch at the Chelsea Theatre from April 4^th until April 30^th.

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