The Kalisher Players
The Trust is indebted to the pool of talented professional actors who so generously give their time to perform in Kalisher productions; many of which have been led by our former Artistic Director Joe Harmston. With apologies for the woefully inadequate resume of their acting careers, the Kalisher Players comprise, in alphabetical order:
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is an Australian actress and theatre director. She has received many accolades, including two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and three BAFTA Awards.
Lauren Coe
Lauren Coe is known for her appearances in Three Wise Women (2010), The Importance of Being Whatever (2011) and the recent war-time television series The Halcyon (2017).
Hugh Dennis
Hugh Dennis is an English comedian, actor, writer, impressionist and voice-over artist, best known for being one half of Punt and Dennis with comedy partner Steve Punt and playing Pete Brockman, the father in the BBC sitcom Outnumbered. Since 2005, he has been a regular panellist on the BBC Two satirical comedy show Mock the Week.
Mark Farrelly
Mark Farrelly is an actor and writer. He has acted in the West End and internationally, and is the author of two hit solo plays, The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton, and Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope. He is writer and co-star of the forthcoming play Howerd’s End, celebrating the impending centenary (2017) of comedy legend Frankie Howerd.
Ray Fearon
Ray is a British actor of stage, theatre and film. He is an associate artist at the RSC and has worked extensively with the Donmar, Almeida, National, Young Vic, Globe and Royal Exchange theatres. His many film appearances include: Harry Potter, Beauty and the Beast, Hamlet, The Hooligan Factory, The Foreigner, Lulu and Jimi, and The Yellowbirds.
Paul Herzberg
Paul Herzberg is a South African actor and writer, known for My Week with Marilyn (2011), Room 36 (2005) and Blood (2000).
Daniel Hill
Daniel Hill is an actor known for his extensive work in television, theatre and film. He played the avaricious Harvey Bains, manager of the retirement home in Waiting for God and appeared with Martin Clunes and Willam Gaunt in the sitcom No Place Like Home. He has also made appearances in several cult television programmes.
Felicity Kendal
Probably best known for her role as Barbara Good in the BBC sitcom The Good Life, Felicity is an actor of television and theatre. She made her London stage debut in Minor Murder and went on to star in a number of well regarded plays. She is currently starring with Maureen Lipman in a revival of Lettice and Lovage.
Laura Main
Laura Main is a native of Aberdeen who began performing as a child in local productions of The Sound of Music and Annie. She has performed on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in 2011 became an original cast member of the BBC drama series, Call the Midwife.
Ako Mitchell
Ako Mitchell is a British-American actor and filmmaker. Ako directed and co-wrote the short film “I’m in the corner with the bluebells” part of the international shorts competition at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.
Maxine Peake
Maxine is an actor of stage, radio, film and television who made her name in Victoria Wood’s sitcom Dinner Ladies. She played a barrister in the BBC legal drama Silk opposite Rupert Penry-Jones (another Kalisher player). She portrayed the Moors murderer Myra Hindley in See No Evil: The Moors Murders. She has recently appeared in the television production of Three Girls based on events surrounding the Rochdale child sex abuse.
Jessica Raine
Jessica Raine has had a successful stage, film and television career. She has appeared in Garrow’s Law and Robin Hood. She starred as the lead character in the first three series of the BBC drama, Call the Midwife. In 2014 she joined the cast of the BBC police drama, Line of Duty for series 2.
Jenny Seagrove
Jenny Seagrove first came to attention playing the lead in a television dramatisation of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s A Woman of Substance. She starred in the films Local Hero and The Guardian. She is known for her role in the television drama series Judge John Deed when she played opposite Martin Shaw, a Patron and Vice President of the Kalisher Trust.
Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw is well known for his roles in the television series The Professionals, The Chief, Judge John Deed and Inspector George Gently. He has acted on stage and in film, and has narrated numerous audiobooks and presented various television series, including the 2006 series Martin Shaw: Aviators. His most recent stage production was Hobson’s Choice.
Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci is an award winning American actor, writer, producer and film director. He has appeared in numerous films including The Lovely Bones, The Devil Wears Prada and Julie & Julia. He was recently to be seen in the television production Fortitude.
Gallery of images:
There are many other actors who have given of their time and expertise to our events. Among these are:
Simon Russel Beale, Sinead Cusak, Rupert Penry Evans, Eddy Redmain, Toby Stevens, Kevin McKidd, Maggie Steed, Peter Moffat, Matthew MacFadyen, Toby Jones, Sir Derek Jacobi OBE, Jeremy Irons, Phil Davies.