'BATTLE LINES' nominated for 2 RTS Midlands Awards ...

Father & son; Sean Noone (Arthur Robertson)
  and Sean Connolly (Alf Robertson) 

Broadcast last November on FILM4, 'BATTLE LINES' is a powerful drama set during the First World War. It tells the dramatic story of a young deaf man's struggle to 'do his duty' when he is refused permission to join up because of his disability. I play Alf Robertson, father to deaf son Arthur (Sean Noone).

104 Films produced the film for the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT) in association with Ark Media Productions. Location for filming was the Black Country Museum. Writer and Director is Julian Peedle-Calloo.

It is now available to watch online at the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust website here.

The winners of the 2015 Awards will be announced at the Gala Dinner held on Thursday November 12th at the National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull.

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' going Independent in New York!!

'SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE' hits an Independent Cinema in Brooklyn, New York!

An old drama school friend based in New York sent me this great picture from his local Independent Cinema in Brooklyn, the Cobble Hill Cinema, quite a famous one at that! If you look at the movie list, there seems to be a film for all tastes on offer!! Thanks Francis!

Catching 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep ...

Poster for 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep - 7th September 2015.

I spent an exhausting but ultimately very rewarding day at Birmingham Repertory Theatre yesterday courtesy of BOLD Text Playwrights. Together with actress Bharti Patel and director Jessica Dromgoole and the writers, we spent the day rehearsing 8 micro-plays for a script-in-hand performance in the evening at The Door at The Rep.

Sean Connolly rehearsing 'SUNSTROKE' at Birmingham Rep for the BOLD Text Playwrights - 7th September 2015.

The BOLD Text Playwrights collective consists of EIGHT playwrights: Helen Kelly, Tim Stimpson, Stephen Jackson, Sayan Kent, Vanessa Oakes, Julia Wright, Nicola Jones and Liz John.

Writer Helen Kelly (left corner) with actors Bharti Patel, Sean Connolly and director Jessica Dromgoole deep in rehearsal.

The plays we rehearsed and performed were as follows:

•             Seeing the World Part 1 (Helen Kelly)

•             Stateless (Tim Stimpson)

•             Oceans Apart (Stephen Jackson)

•             Here (Sayan Kent)

•             I’m Staying (Vanessa Oakes)

•             Sunstroke (Julia Wright)

•             The Trip (Nicola Jones)

•             Seeing the World Part 2 (Liz John)

All eight plays had the running theme of British holidaymakers caught up in various types of 'trouble abroad'. All the plays were poignant, also very different in their approach. The roles I had to play were also varied; a liberal sprinkling of Brummies, a mysterious Eastern European and a male stripper!! Oh I've missed theatre!!