Me. Briefly.
I’m a singer and actor based in London, although originally from New Zealand. Over a long career, I’ve performed in venues large and small around my homeland as well as in Sydney, Melbourne, Hawaii plus London and across the British Isles.
I was rated as “spot on” by the UK’s Stage newspaper for my London performance as Sydney Carton (lead) in the new musical A Tale of Two Cities, dir. Paul Nicholas.
Other musical theatre roles have included Maj. Glossop (Jekyll & Hyde Union) Prof. Higgins (My Fair Lady, NZ), Magaldi (Evita, NZ and Hawaii) and Julian Marsh (42nd Street, NZ).
My most recent cabaret show ‘Waterloo Sunset’ (aka ‘Scenes From a Well-spent Youth’) looks back at songs from 1965-75 through the lens of nearly 50 years. I’ve taken it to village halls, libraries and arts centres and also to the Pheasantry in Kings Road, London. Songs from this show are available on CD also via Spotify, also on this site under ‘Other shows’.
I’ve toured mid-scale venues around the UK and Ireland quite extensively playing ‘Bing Crosby’ in the perennially popular ‘Christmas Crooners’ show.
As a performer I pay a lot of attention to the lyrics, stories and scenes in my songs. I often get comments like “I didn’t realise the song was about that” or “I never really heard the words to that song properly before”.
Producer, arranger (also script advisor and frequent accompanist); Simon Wallace.
Simon has worked with some of the UK’s biggest names in music, theatre and television. Together with Simon Brint he composed music for top TV series including Absolutely Fabulous, The Ben Elton Show and many more – including, as it happens, The Clive James Show! Simon knows the repertoire well, having recorded and performed extensively with Clive’s long-term writing partner, Pete Atkin.
Simon toured internationally with the Lindsay Kemp company, and was musical director for the West End production of Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens and the children’s show he’s written with Julian Clary, The Bolds.
With beat generation poet and lyricist Fran Landesman, Simon has written songs recorded by leading artists on both sides of the Atlantic. In 1986, he was commissioned to compose a symphony for the former King of Thailand’s 60th birthday: a further commission came in 2006 for the then King’s 60th jubilee.
Simon has also acted as musical director, arranger, producer or accompanist (and frequently in all four roles) for Clare Teal, Ian Shaw, Sarah Moule, Gill Manly and Barb Jungr.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with Simon.
I also often work with the delightful Jenny Carr.
Classically trained, Jenny arrived from Australia in the early 1990s as keyboardist and backing vocalist for Jason Donovan’s world tour.
Since then she has carved out a diverse career, working with pop artists Julia Fordham, Bliss, Beverley Craven, Yazz, Billy Ocean, Imelda May & Ant and Dec. She has contributed to seven albums by iconic country-soul singer/songwriter Jeb Loy Nichols and backed artists from the legendary Muscle Shoals stable (Bonnie Bramlett, Donnie Fritts and Larry Jon Wilson) in a series of concerts.
Jenny is also known as a sensitive accompanist, playing with vocalists Caroline Nin, Sarah Moule and Barb Jungr.
CATCHING THE LIGHT 