Great Expectations at The English Theatre of Hamburg

Theo Watt

Theo recently graduated Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts. In 2021 he made his professional stage debut with Angel Theatre Company in their two-hander INNOCENCE. Theo’s credits whilst training include: THE ACCRINGTON PALS, LOVE AND INFORMATION, THIS ISLAND’S MINE and MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Jonny Magnanti

Born and brought up in Leeds, Jonny moved to London in 1984 to attend the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has lived down south, give or take a year or two back in Leeds, ever since. Since leaving drama school Jonny has enjoyed a career in all aspects of the profession from West End plays and musicals, theatre tours, rep, film, television, and voiceovers where he has voiced many TV and radio campaigns. Moving to the East Sussex countryside in 2010 Jonny took some time out to be a full-time dad, and with both children now grown up, returned to the profession playing Igor in the National Theatre’s production of THREE WINTERS directed by Howard Davies, The Premier of THE MOOR at the Old Red Lion Islington, HAPPY JACK at the Brockley Jack studio theatre, Oberon in MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHT. He also filmed MUSKETEERS for the BBC, DOCTORS, LUCKY MAN and AMERICAN MONSTERS. More recently he has been filming THE GIRL BEFORE again for the BBC, scheduled to be shown soon. Jonny has just finished directing the UK premiere of John Patrick Shanley’s PRODIGAL SON with his now grown-up son. He is delighted to be appearing in Hamburg for the third time. Previous productions were ABSENT FRIENDS in 1994, MOON OVER THE BREWERY in 2012, and 39 STEPS in 2021/22.

Michelle Todd

Michelle Todd is an award-winning actress and soprano singer, performing on many prestigious international stages throughout her career, from leading theatre roles in London’s West End to Operas and classical music concerts in North America, Europe, India, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates. She has been invited to perform on numerous occasions as a guest soloist with orchestras and chamber groups in North America and London, including various recordings with BBC Radio. Michelle has been delighting audiences across the globe with The Tales of Peter Rabbit. Michelle trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Theatre credits include Ladies Of Letters (UK Tour); The Witch in INTO THE WOODS (Greystone Theatre Canada); Bess in BESS THE COMMONER QUEEN (UK Tour); Beatrix Potter in THE TALES OF BEATRIX POTTER (Wilton’s Music Hall & Edinburgh Festival); Donna in PRAVADA (Leeds Playhouse); TWELFTH NIGHT (Exeter Playhouse); Soloist in CANADIAN IMAGES (Carnegie Hall); Desiree in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (York Musical Theatre Company); Beatrix Potter in THE TALES OF BEATRIX POTTER (City of London Sinfonia); Natalia Stepanova in THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL (Bijoux Studio); Actress in THE GUARDSMAN (Persephone Theatre); Linda in CASH ON DELIVERY (Stage West, Canada); Sharon in MASTERCLASS (Citadel Theatre, Canada); Laurey in OKLAHOMA; Jacqueline in DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER; Joanna Markham in MOVE OVER MRS MARKHAM (Stage West, Canada); Connie in GOOD NEWS (Shaw Festival, Canada); Young Heidi in FOLLIES (Cameron Mackintosh Ltd). Film credits include COOL RUNNINGS (Walt Disney Pictures).

Charles Cromwell

Charles spent many years developing his skills as a character actor, touring the East Midlands with the renowned Lincoln Shakespeare Company Ltd, Indulgence Theatre Company and others. Amongst the many roles he has played are: The title roles in RICHARD II and HAMLET, Benedick in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Petruchio in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, Rev. Paris in THE CRUCIBLE, Brutus in JULIUS CAESAR, Octavius Caesar in ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA and Mr. Robinson in THE GRADUATE. He has also performed on the London fringe as Bottom in The Movement’s production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM; the title role in Malachite Theatre’s TITUS ANDRONICUS and as Sir Toby Belch in their touring production of TWELFTH NIGHT. He also traveled to Guangzhou, China with Malachite’s production of HAMLET, playing Claudius and the ghost of old Hamlet. Charles has also played roles in several independent films and is currently involved in the multi-award-winning web series SELF HELP (Emlyn’s cat productions) playing the role of Gordon.

Dominic Charman

Dominic recently graduated from East 15 Acting School. In 2019 he made his professional stage debut with The Oxford Shakespeare Company, where he played EDGAR LINTON in a new adaptation of WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Since leaving drama school he has also performed as QUEEN MARY OF TEK in PUT IT IN THE CAR CYNTHIA (Barons Court Theatre) and CHARMIAN in ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA (Stockwell Playhouse). He has worked with emerging writers as both an actor and director performing in KILL THEM (Canal Cafe Theatre) and EAT FOR ME (Charity Event for CALM) and directing SPLINTER (King’s Head Theatre). Whilst training his credits include THE COUNTRY WIFE, BLUE STOCKINGS, ROMEO AND JULIET, THE HOMECOMING, and THREE SISTERS. More recently he has been working with children and young adults as both a workshop leader and director as well as touring for Hertfordshire Libraries in BOOK SLEUTHS IN A BIND, a play aimed at getting children back into their local library.

Naomi O’Taylor

Naomi O’Taylor trained at Schule für Schauspiel Hamburg, Identity School of Acting and William Esper Studio. She is German-Irish and made her English-language stage debut in a production of Jane Austen’s PERSUASION in 2017. Since then she has appeared in numerous TV and film projects as well as stage productions such as GASLIGHT, CALENDAR GIRLS, and PLAZA SUITE. Most recently she performed the one-woman-play IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT at Sprechwerk Theatre Hamburg,

Gordon Griffin

Gordon Griffin is the multi-award-winning narrator of around 950 audiobooks. His recordings include classics such as A TALE OF TWO CITIES (Dickens), THE ODYSSEY (Homer), DEAD SOULS (Gogol), NINETEEN-EIGHTY-FOUR (Orwell), GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (Swift) as well as modern writers like Hilary Mantel and Melvyn Bragg. In 2017 in the Birthday Honours, Gordon received an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen for his audiobook work. Next year Gordon will celebrate 60 years as a professional actor. Onstage he’s appeared in Shakespeare at the Chichester Festival Theatre and earlier this year played Kemp in Joe Orton’s ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE in London. He was also in the first UK National tour of GODSPELL. He’s appeared in countless TV series like FAMILY AT WAR, BYKER GROVE, and more recently THE CROWN. He also presented the very popular Children’s series PLAYSCHOOL and performed (as a singer) on the BBC’s TV series THE GOOD OLD DAYS. In 2021 his autobiography SPEAKING VOLUMES was published, followed soon afterward by the audio version – read by him! Gordon has a long association with the English Theatre having acted in MR FOTHERGILL’S MURDER in the late 1980s and he was, for 30 years, the London Casting Director for the Theatre.

Paul Glaser

Paul Glaser was born into a family of music and theatre with the classical composer Werner Wolf Glaser as his grandfather and director/actor Etienne Glaser as his uncle. He studied music and several instruments and wrote songs from early on. He started his professional career as a trained classical dancer after graduating from the Royal Swedish Ballet School. He was awarded the Carina Ari Award upon his graduation. He also studied with Robert Denver in New York. During these years he also studied voice and theatre. His international career spans well over 35 years and incorporates just about every aspect of the performing industry. He has worked professionally as dancer, singer, actor, director, choreographer, composer, music producer, light- and sound-designer, writer and teacher. While in school he was performing in productions such as Verdi’s FALSTAFF or ONEGIN by Tchaikovsky at the Royal Swedish Opera. During this time, he also acquired an education in singing and acting which led him to the role as “Baby John” in his first production of WEST SIDE STORY at Parkteatern in Stockholm–the next time he is to play it, many years later, it will be as the lead role “Tony” at Slagthuset in Malmö. After this first production Paul is cast as “Fritz” in the production of PELLE SVANSLÖS at the famous Oscars Theatre in Stockholm. At the same time, he is seen in a number of commercials in cinemas all over Scandinavia for products such as “Smor”, Findus”, “Polly Peanuts” and many more. Paul gets offered a unique contract at one of the largest theatre’s in Sweden as both a singing and dancing soloist. He remains in this contract for three years performing in many ballets such as GAITÉ PARISIENNE (Léonide Massine), SYMPHONY IN D (Jiri Kylian), THE NUTCRACKER (Marius Petipa) and in operettas and musicals where he played roles such as Robert in OH, MEIN PAPA, Nicole in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES with the Swedish star actor and singer from INGMAR BERMAN’s FANNY AND ALEXANDER, Jan Malmsjö and many more, before accepting a contract from the Hamburg production of CATS. Here as well, Paul gets offered a unique contract. Never before had the singing role of “Rum Rum Tugger” been offered in the same contract as the dancing role of “Mr Mistoffelees”, worldwide. Prior to moving to Hamburg Paul is offered the job as Choreographer and dancer for the Swedish TV series SOLSTOLLARNA where he worked with stars such as SAMANTHA FOX, MANDY SMITH, LENA PHILIPSON, ANNA BOOK, PERNILLA WAHLGREN and many more. After CATS, Paul returned to Sweden to play “Jack” in INTO THE WOODS. Then back to Germany for another production of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES followed by “Seymour” in LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS at Kina Theatre in Stockholm. “Ritchie Valence” in the Hamburg production of BUDDY HOLLY STORY. Other productions in both Germany and Sweden include “Romeo” in SHAKESPEARE & ROCKN’ROLL in Berlin, “Danny” in GREASE in Düsseldorf and Berlin, “Riff Raff” in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW in Ulm, “Charles” in FREAK OUT in Hamburg. Paul had continuously written music as well as now being a published author with the book ATT ODLA PAPAYA PA OSTERLEN (Prisma publishing) parallel to his career as a performer. Soon after he arrived in Germany, Paul was offered a recording contract with EAST WEST RECORDS and a publishing deal with MCA where he released his first single VOICES. Parallel to his engagements in musicals Paul grew into being a sought-after composer and songwriter and was hired by companies like NIKON, CASIO, VW, AIR HAMBURG, PLUS SIZE FASHION WEEK, PEACE BRUSH, JENA PHARM, ADEXAR, OPTICLICK, Pomp Duck and Circumstance to name a few, to write corporate songs and music for launches and other events. He was also commissioned to compose music for the show “YMA” at FRIEDRICHSTADTPALAST in Berlin, for the MENDELSSOHN CHOIR in Hamburg, for whom he wrote “HOME” as well as for films such as SHUT (in which he also acted a lead role) or PROFILE OF FEAR as well as for the German national TV station NDR and by THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG for plays such as SHAKESPEARES 12th NIGHT, THE FOX, SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS (which he also choreographed), VISITING MR. GREEN, THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES, BIG BOYS, and many more. He has currently composed music and created sound design for over 40 plays in theatres, including for his own productions which he directed as well, such as THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GREY (Oscar Wilde), THE WOMAN IN BLACK (Stephen Mallatratt), DEATH KNELL (James Cawood), MOONLIGHT AND MAGNOLIAS (Ron Hutchinson). APOLOGIA (Alexi Kaye Campbell) SHIRLEY VALENTINE (Willy Russell) or most recently Patrick Barlow’s THE 39 STEPS. Paul is currently working on a new adaptation of GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens, which is planned to premiere at The English Theatre of Hamburg season 22/23. In 1999 Paul wrote book and music as well as directed his own musical PEGGY, which he premiered in the Star Theatre in Hamburg and for which he received outstanding reviews and audience responses. In the beginning of 2016, he composed the music for the new musical VOM FISCHER UND SEINER FRAU with book by Christian Berg. Together they would write another 5 musicals together, within the time span of 3 years: DAS GESPENST VON CANTERVILLE, RAPUNZEL, BAMBI, FRAU HOLLE and DAS PHANTOM VON OPA, some of them commissioned by the well-known Komödie am Winterhuder Fährhaus theatre in Hamburg. DAS GESPENST VON CANTERVILLE was also performed at the famous Komödie am Ku’damm in Berlin and the other musical went on tour throughout Germany. He is currently composing music for two new musicals 3 KVINNOR which set to premiere coming July in Sweden as well as a collaboration with Hamburg based writer Jo Quirin. As Paul went more and more into directing he was not only hired by theatres but also, due to his experience and vast network (which led the management of OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN to contact Paul about finding a pianist to accompany her in a gala in Berlin) he was also hired by companies to create innovative and impressive shows for companies like CASIO,VISIT SWEDEN, CLAAS, NRW as well as gala versions of LES MISERABLES for Verdi Bundeseröffnungsveranstaltung, ALL FOR ONE an adaptation of THE THREE MUSKETEERS, HAIR and many more. Since over 10 years he has also choreographed fashion shows for the acclaimed designer Sibilla Pavenstedt as well as being one of the most sought-after voice over artists for German studios, with a client list including COCA COLA, MERCEDES BENZ, BMW, NIVEA, DEICHMANN, CASIO, MINI and many, many more for studios like LOFT, FUNK, GERMAN WAHNSINN, THE SOUND SHACK, VOXHAUS, … Following his director’s debut in LONDON’S WEST END, with his production of Stephen Dolginoff’s musical THRILL ME at the Jermyn Street Theatre in 2016, he was offered the position as managing director of THE ENGLISH THEATRE OF HAMBURG. “This still allows me to work on projects outside of the theatre” – says Paul. Working on several projects at the same time is something he’s done throughout his whole career. “This is a great advantage as a director, writer, and composer. Having all of this experience gives me such a unique advantage when directing. I know how to incorporate music, dance, acting and singing, whatever the production I’m working on is calling for, as well as effectively create the ultimate light and sound design. For the theatre I direct mostly straight plays and the occasional musical, but for my clients outside the theatre it can be anything, and that’s very exciting” says Paul, who is also a teacher, currently at the Musical Academy in Rome/Italy where he travels when he can to give MASTER CLASSES in musical theatre. He now also works as a freelance COMPOSER, DIRECTOR, WRITER and CREATIVE MIND for projects outside his duties as managing director. “Some people might have a hard time understanding my creative process, or even how it’s possible to deliver the maximum in so many parallel fields. My experience might be in several fields but essentially, they are the same – artistic expressions within performing arts and music. Having all these different keys gives me immense freedom in my creativity as a director, writer and composer.”– Paul Glaser. Paul was recently invited by Rai Uno, Italy’s first TV station, to appear as a specialist guest judge on their TV show Performer Cup . His production of Patrick Barlow’s THE 39 STEPS just closed and he is currently working on a new stage adaptation of Charles Dickens GREAT EXPECTATIONS, planned to premiere on the 1st of September 2022, at The English Theatre of Hamburg. Paul has also just finished the music and song-lyrics for the new musical TRE KVINNOR, book by Kolja Schallenberg. This production will premiere in July 2022 in Forsvik in Sweden

Paul Glaser