Nikolas Simmonds

(19**-) Director. Directed ***, Quartermain'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’ Passion Play at the Andre Huguenet in 1981. He directed Simon Gray’s Quartermaine’s Terms starring Richard Haines at the Alhambra in 1982. He directed Pieter Toerien’s production of Agnes of God starring Fiona Ramsay, Pauline Bailey and Lena Ferugia at the Baxter and the Alhambra in 1983. He directed Fiona Ramsay and Richard Haines in Tom Stoppards The Real Thing which was staged at the Andre Huguenet in 1983. He directed the Baxter 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 on 17 June 1983 before it moved to the Market 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 Granvi

Sources

Tucker, 1997

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