Nikolas Simmonds

(19**-) Director. Directed ***, Quartermaine's Terms (for Pieter Toerien) in 1981-82, * SIMMONDS Nikolas. He directed Pieter Toerien’s production of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus starring Richard Haines and Ralph Lawson at the Alhambra Theatre in 1981. Michael Atkinson replaced Haines in a subsequent extended season. He directed Peter Nichols's Passion Play at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1981. He directed Simon Gray’s Quartermaine's Terms starring Richard Haines at the Alhambra Theatre in 1982. He directed Pieter Toerien’s production of Agnes of God starring Fiona Ramsay, Pauline Bailey and Lena Ferugia at the Baxter Theatre and the Alhambra Theatre in 1983. He directed Fiona Ramsay and Richard Haines in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing which was staged at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1983. He directed the Baxter Theatre production of Julian Mitchell’s Another Country starring Sean Taylor, Neil McCarthy, Jeremy Crutchley and John Carson with lighting design by Pip Marshall at the Baxter Theatre on 17 June 1983 before it moved to the Market Theatre with minor cast changes in July.

Quoted from the programme of Agnes of God in 1983: 'Trained RADA. Career as an actor: joined 'experimental' company of Charles Marowitz. Lead parts in London and abroad include Hamlet, Macbeth, Measure for Measure, The Shrew] in Shakespeare adaptations or 'collages'. Also Trevor Griffiths' Sam Sam, Peter Barnes' Noonday Demons. Played most major reps, Royal Court Theatre, etc. TV appearances include Joseph Strauss in The Strauss Family (ATV), lead in Ken Loach's BBC quartet of films Days of Hope; lead in Dennis Potter play Lay Down Your Arms, amongst other plays and series. Turned to directing 8 years ago. One year at [[Haymarket Theatre, Leicester. Shows directed include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, The Norman Conquests, Alphabetical Order, Sleuth, Bloody Neighbours, etc. Then Bristol Old Vic: premiere of John Bowen's Which Way are you Facing and Semi Detached. Watford: The Lady From the Sea. Habeas Corpus. Open Space (as Associate Director with Charles Marowitz for one year): The Strongest Man in the World, new play by Barry Collins; Brecht's Private Life of the Third Reich, etc. National Theatre: joined to assist Bill Gaskill on production of Granville Barker's The Madras House with Paul Scofield. Worked on many productions with Sir Peter Hall, Harold Pinter, Christopher Morahan. Directed new plays in Cotteslow Theatre: Roy Hutchinson's Jews and Arabs, Keith Dewhurst's Luggage, etc. Recent productions at The Kings Head with Observer drama critic Robert Cushman of material based on work of Ogden Nash, Nashville. Production recorded and made for radio. Also Ayckbourn's Season's Greetings at the Old Vic, after directing Amadeus for Pieter Toerien in South Africa. Also directed Passion Play and Quartermaine's Terms for this management. Was Co-Director on The House of Mankowitz due for SABC TV. Hobbies: classical music, new poetry, chess (wanted to become professional but prize money inadequate), trees and food, and fast cars. Would like to live in the country.'