Stash comes from a family steeped in theatrical history, with his late father and his grandmother both gaining scholarships for the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art. Stash’s father was a highly successful TV director and producer in Australia, giving career breaks to people such as Olivia Newton John and Helen Reddy. His mother was also an actress prior to the family’s move back to the UK in the late 1960s. It was obvious Stash would go into the family business, and after 3 years of lead roles in local theatres in Norfolk, he came within striking distance of playing The Young Sherlock Holmes for Steven Spielberg and Barry Levinson. After 8 weeks of auditions and recalls, with over 3000 other hopefuls, it came down to him and Nickolas Jones for the title role, with scenes being learnt for camera tests, bespoke costumes, and contracts signed with Paramount Pictures with options on 3 films. In the end fame wasn’t to be at that time, so Stash made his move to London in the late 1980s and began pursuing a career in acting. Here is a brief resume of some of the highlights along the way.
Stash trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, graduating with fellow students Dean Kelly, Alan Raglan, Oded Fehr, Phoebe Beacham, and Richard Coyle. His work prior to and since graduating amounts to well over 20 year’s professional experience (see CV).
His credits include West End appearances, National Number 1 tours, Rep Theatre, and the London Fringe. He’s worked for Bill Kenwright on tour with Blood Brothers and in An Ideal Husband (Haymarket West End), Julius Green & Roy Marsden in their 8 month staging of The Agatha Christie Season at Westcliff On Sea. He also worked with Ian Hastings in his production of The Ghost Train at The Old Vic, and the late Dan Crawford who Stash worked for many times during a friendship that spanned over 10 years (see documentary “A Maverick In London”).
He set up and ran Mytton Crest Theatre Company, gaining Susan Hampshire, Hugh Grant and Susannah York as patrons. Susannah directed the company’s maiden production of The Eagle Has Two Heads at The Sadlers Wells Theatre. Other London Fringe productions Stash has produced are Beethoven’s Tenth, The Star Spangled Girl, and Ring Round The Moon at The Kings Head Theatre, Islington. Stash has been represented by some of the UK’s leading agents including London Management/Diamond Management, and Gilly Sanguinetti at Ken McReddie Ltd.
In 2010 Stash co-founded The PBSK Partnership with actor Peter Barrow. Together they created the Hostry Festival at Norwich Cathedral, commissioning over 100 debuts celebrating artists living in Norfolk. Signature Projects that they have helped initiate and developed under the creative umbrella of the festival include The Norfolk Arts Awards, Total Ensemble Theatre Company, Paint Out, and The African Choir of Norfolk. As Artistic Director of the festival, Stash programmes all the events and directs the Central Production each year. (see PROJECTS section for more details)
Stash’s interest in all aspects of producing theatre, film, TV, and audio production has made it impossible for him to simply be an actor; his talent for creating and building teams of people who put on mainstream work together has led to a varied portfolio of work. From the fundraising of well over a million pounds for productions, to initiating project after project over a period of more than 3 decades, Stash continues to surprise himself and those around him! He is an actor/producer/director with over 35 years practical experience to his credit.
