![David Ashton](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/David_Ashton.jpg)
David Ashton (born David Scott on 10 November 1941, in
Greenock
Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council areas of Scotland, council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh of barony, burgh within the Counties of Scotland, historic ...
, Scotland) is a Scottish actor and writer. Trained at the
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama was founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a ...
in London, 1964–67, he has acted in a wide variety of film, television, theatre and radio roles. He has also developed a parallel career as a writer of fiction, film and television screenplays and plays for theatre and radio. His radio play ''The Old Ladies at the Zoo'', which starred
Peggy Mount
Margaret Rose Mount OBE (2 May 1915 – 13 November 2001) was an English actress. As a child, she found acting an escape from an unhappy home life. After playing in amateur productions, she was taken on by a repertory company and spent nine yea ...
and
Liz Smith, won the Radio Times Drama Award in 1985.
Acting
Theatre
Ashton started his professional career at Worcester Repertory theatre, playing roles such as Marco in ''
A View from the Bridge
''A View from the Bridge'' is a play by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was first staged on September 29, 1955, as a one-act verse drama with ''A Memory of Two Mondays'' at the Coronet Theatre on Broadway. The run was unsuccessful, and M ...
'', Jerry in ''
Two for the Seesaw
''Two for the Seesaw'' is a 1962 American romantic-drama film directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Mitchum and Shirley MacLaine. It was adapted from the 1958 Broadway play written by William Gibson with Henry Fonda and Anne Bancroft (who ...
'', Harold Gorringe in ''
Black Comedy
Black comedy, also known as dark comedy, morbid humor, or gallows humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally considered serious or painful to discus ...
'', and Charlie in ''
Staircase''. At Ipswich Rep, he played Bluntschli in ''
Arms and the Man
''Arms and the Man'' is a comedy by George Bernard Shaw, whose title comes from the opening words of Virgil's ''Aeneid'', in Latin:
''Arma virumque cano'' ("Of arms and the man I sing").
The play was first produced on 21 April 1894 at the Aven ...
'' and Seamas Shields in ''
The Shadow of a Gunman
''The Shadow of a Gunman'' is a 1923 tragicomedy play by Seán O'Casey set during the Irish War of Independence. It centres on the mistaken identity of a building tenant who is thought to be an IRA assassin.
It is the first in O'Casey's "Dublin ...
''. Other roles included Grigory Smirnov in Chekhov’s ''
The Bear'' at the Orange Tree Theatre, London; The Tramp in Synge’s ''
In the Shadow of the Glen'', Joxer in ''
Juno and the Paycock
''Juno and the Paycock'' is a play by Seán O'Casey. Highly regarded and often performed in Ireland, it was first staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1924. It is set in the working-class tenements of Dublin in the early 1920s, during the Ir ...
'', Torvald in Ibsen’s ''
A Doll's House
''A Doll's House'' (Danish and nb, Et dukkehjem; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having bee ...
'' at the
Crucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre (often referred to simply as "The Crucible") is a theatre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England which opened in 1971. Although it hosts regular theatrical performances, it is best known for hosting professional snooker's m ...
, Sheffield, the lead in
Jean-Claude Carrière
Jean-Claude Carrière (; 17 September 1931 – 8 February 2021) was a French novelist, screenwriter and actor. He received an Academy Award for best short film for co-writing '' Heureux Anniversaire'' (1963), and was later conferred an Honorary ...
’s The File at the
Liverpool Playhouse
The Liverpool Playhouse is a theatre in Williamson Square in the city of Liverpool, England. It originated in 1866 as a music hall, and in 1911 developed into a repertory theatre. As such it nurtured the early careers of many actors and actress ...
; Gayev in ''
The Cherry Orchard
''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...
'' and then Kulyegin in ''
The Three Sisters'' at the
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street. The complex includes the Royal ...
. At the
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, Englan ...
, London, he played John in
Christopher Hampton
Sir Christopher James Hampton ( Horta, Azores, 26 January 1946) is a British playwright, screenwriter, translator and film director. He is best known for his play ''Les Liaisons Dangereuses'' based on the novel of the same name and the film ...
's ''The Philanthropist'' with Alec McCowan, and also appeared in the West End musical Happy as a Sandbag at the
Ambassadors Theatre and portrayed Mister Mulleady in Behan’s ''
The Hostage'' at
Greenwich Theatre
Greenwich Theatre is a local theatre located in Croom's Hill close to the centre of Greenwich in south-east London.
Theatre first came to Greenwich at the beginning of the 19th century during the famous Eastertide Greenwich Fair at which the Ric ...
. Most recently, he appeared as Sandy Sheridan in Uncle Varick,
John Byrne’s version of Chekhov’s ''
Uncle Vanya
''Uncle Vanya'' ( rus, Дя́дя Ва́ня, r=Dyádya Ványa, p=ˈdʲædʲə ˈvanʲə) is a play by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. It was first published in 1898, and was first produced in 1899 by the Moscow Art Theatre under the direct ...
'', at the
Royal Lyceum Theatre
The Royal Lyceum Theatre is a 658-seat theatre in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, named after the Theatre Royal Lyceum and English Opera House, the residence at the time of legendary Shakespearean actor Henry Irving. It was built in 1883 by a ...
, Edinburgh.
He has also taught, directed and lectured at the
Central School of Speech and Drama
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama was founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a ...
,
Rose Bruford College
Rose Bruford College (formerly Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance) is a drama school in the south London suburb of Sidcup. The college has degree programmes in acting, actor musicianship, directing, theatre arts and various discipli ...
, the
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools.
LAMDA's Principal is ...
and the
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, formerly Mountview Theatre School, is a drama school in Peckham, south London, England, founded in 1945. The Academy provides specialist vocational training in acting and musical theatre, as well as production ...
.
Films
*1981: ''
Eye of the Needle'' - Oban Radio Operator
*1986: ''
Just Us'' - Parramatta Warder
*1992: ''
Freddie as F.R.O.7'' - Additional Voices
*1996: ''Indian Summer'' - Paris Mourner
*1997: ''
Tomorrow Never Dies
''Tomorrow Never Dies'' is a 1997 spy film, the eighteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions and the second to star Pierce Brosnan as fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode from a screenplay by ...
'' - First Sea Lord
*1998: ''
Stiff Upper Lips
''Stiff Upper Lips'' is a 1997 film directed by Gary Sinyor and starring Sean Pertwee, Georgina Cates, Robert Portal, Samuel West, Prunella Scales, Peter Ustinov, and Brian Glover in his final film role. It is a broad parody of British period fi ...
'' - Dr. Henry
*2000: ''
The House of Mirth
''The House of Mirth'' is a 1905 novel by American author Edith Wharton. It tells the story of Lily Bart, a well-born but impoverished woman belonging to New York City's high society around the end of the 19th century. Wharton creates a portrait ...
'' - Lawyer
*2003: ''Winter Solstice''
*2006: ''
The Last King of Scotland
''The Last King of Scotland'' is a novel by journalist Giles Foden,
published by Faber and Faber in 1998. Focusing on the rise of Ugandan President Idi Amin and his reign as dictator from 1971 to 1979, the novel, which interweaves fiction and ...
'' - Dr. Garrigan - Senior
*2009: ''The Silent Cormorant''
Television
Ashton made his acting debut on television in ''
Z-Cars
''Z-Cars'' or ''Z Cars'' (pronounced "zed cars") is a British television police procedural series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby, near Liverpool. Produced by the BBC, it debuted ...
'' (1969) and took the lead role as Aeneas MacMaster in ''
The New Road
''The New Road'' is a historical novel by the Scottish writer Neil Munro, which was adapted as a television serial by the BBC. Munro is now mainly remembered as the creator of the comic character Para Handy, but this is regarded as the best of ...
'' (1973). Other main roles include Lieutenant Wickham in ''
The Voyage of Charles Darwin
''The Voyage of Charles Darwin'' was a 1978 BBC television serial depicting the life of Charles Darwin, focusing largely on his voyage on . The series encompasses his university days to the 1859 publication of his book ''On the Origin of Specie ...
'' (1978); Doctor MacDuff in ''
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
'', a social comedy series, set in 1930s Northern England (1982-1984 & 1990); Major Lennox in ''
Sharpe’s Eagle'' (1993); Major Roddy Maclean in ''
Hamish Macbeth
Hamish Macbeth is the lackadaisical police constable of the fictional Scottish Highland town of Lochdubh, in a series of murder mystery novels created by M. C. Beaton (Marion Chesney).
Considered by many to be a useless, lazy moocher, Macbeth ...
'' (1995–97); Harold Xavier in ''
Monarch of the Glen'' (2000); Alex Gemmell in ''Glasgow Kiss'' (2000) and Professor MacManus in ''
Vital Signs
Vital signs (also known as vitals) are a group of the four to six most crucial medical signs that indicate the status of the body's vital (life-sustaining) functions. These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a ...
'' (2006).
He has also had featured roles in ''
New Tricks
''New Tricks'' is a British television police procedural
The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the ...
'' (2008); ''
Waking the Dead'' (2002); ''Waterfront Beat'' (1991); ''
All Creatures Great and Small'' (1990); ''
The Bill
''The Bill'' is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 August 1983 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, '' Woodentop'', broadcast in August 1983.
The programme focused on ...
'' (1989); ''
Ever Decreasing Circles
''Ever Decreasing Circles'' is a British sitcom which ran on BBC1 between 1984 and 1989, consisting of four series and one feature-length special. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with Richard Briers, who ha ...
'' (1986); ''
Doctor Who
''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...
'' (as Kendron in the 1985 story ''
Timelash
''Timelash'' is the fifth serial of the 22nd season in the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in two weekly parts on BBC1 on 9 and 16 March 1985.
In the serial, the Borad (Robert Ashby), the mu ...
''); ''
Coronation Street
''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford.
Origi ...
'' (1985); and ''
Juliet Bravo
''Juliet Bravo'' is a British television police procedural drama series, first broadcast on 30 August 1980, that ran for six series and a total of 88 episodes on BBC1. The theme of the series concerned a female police inspector who took over con ...
'' (1980 - Series 1, ep.6 'The Runner').
Writing
Film
* 1989 ''Duck'': commissioned and broadcast by Channel 4 for its Short and Curlies series, starring
Jim Carter and
Frances Barber
Frances Barber (née Brookes, born 13 May 1958) is an English actress. She received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays '' Camille'' (1985), and ''Uncle Vanya'' (1997). Her film appearances include three collaborations with Gar ...
.
* 1990 ''God on the Rocks'': an adaptation of the novel by
Jane Gardam
Jane Mary Gardam (born 11 July 1928) is an English writer of children's and adult fiction. She also writes reviews for ''The Spectator'' and ''The Telegraph'', and writes for BBC radio. She lives in Kent, Wimbledon, and Yorkshire. She has won nu ...
starring
Minnie Driver
Amelia Fiona Jessica "Minnie" Driver (born 31 January 1970) is an English actress. She rose to prominence with her break-out role in 1995's '' Circle of Friends''. She went on to star in a wide range of films including the cult classic ''Grosse ...
and
Bill Paterson, commissioned and broadcast by
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
and made by Skreba Productions.
* 1992 ''
Freddie as F.R.O.7'': an animated musical fantasy adventure made by Hollywood Road productions and featuring the voices of
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley (born Krishna Pandit Bhanji; 31 December 1943) is an English actor. He has received various accolades throughout his career spanning five decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Grammy Award, and two ...
,
Jenny Agutter
Jennifer Ann Agutter (born 20 December 1952) is a British actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1964, appearing in ''East of Sudan'', '' Star!'', and two adaptations of ''The Railway Children''—the BBC's 1968 television serial ...
,
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed (; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor, presenter, writer and mountaineer.
Blessed is known for portraying PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars'', Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of ''I, Claudius'', King Richard IV i ...
and
Billie Whitelaw
Billie Honor Whitelaw (6 June 1932 – 21 December 2014) was an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and was regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works. She was al ...
.
In addition, Ashton has written five commissioned scripts that have yet to go into full production:
* ''Taj'': the love story behind the Taj Mahal commissioned by Sir Ben Kingsley’s Lavender Films.
* ''Tale'': a modern reworking of Shakespeare’s ''
The Winter's Tale
''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some criti ...
'', commissioned by film director
Peter Chelsom
Peter Chelsom (born 20 April 1956) is a British film director, writer, and actor. He has directed such films as ''Hector and the Search for Happiness'', ''Serendipity'', and '' Shall We Dance?'' Peter Chelsom is a member of the British Academ ...
(''
Hear My Song
''Hear My Song'' is a 1991 British comedy-drama film directed by Peter Chelsom, who co-wrote the screenplay with Adrian Dunbar, based on the story of Irish tenor Josef Locke. It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 46th British Ac ...
'', ''
Funnybones
''Funnybones'' (''Sgerbyde'' in welsh) )is a British children's television comedy series, which originally aired on S4C in Wales, and on BBC One with BBC Two showing repeats elsewhere in the United Kingdom from 29 September to 15 December 1992. ...
'').
* ''Donal Q'': a contemporary reinterpretation of ''
Don Quixote
is a Spanish epic novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615, its full title is ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'' or, in Spanish, (changing in Part 2 to ). A founding work of Wester ...
'', with
Billy Connolly
Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, retired comedian, artist, writer, musician, and presenter. He is sometimes known, especially in his homeland, by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his ...
and
Brian Cox, commissioned by Left Bank Pictures.
* ''Cousin Bazilio'': Based on the novel by Portuguese author
José Maria de Eça de Queirós
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced ...
, a tale of adultery, blackmail and lust set in 19th-century Lisbon. The script was commissioned by Lavender Films and is now with Trademark Films.
* ''Django'': a drama about the dangers faced by
Django Reinhardt
Jean Reinhardt (23 January 1910 – 16 May 1953), known by his Romani nickname Django ( or ), was a Romani-French jazz guitarist and composer. He was one of the first major jazz talents to emerge in Europe and has been hailed as one of its most ...
, the great gypsy jazz guitarist, in occupied Paris during the Second World War.
Television
Ashton was one of the early scriptwriters for ''
EastEnders
''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...
'', the long-running BBC soap opera that first aired in February 1985. He wrote for series two of BBC hospital drama ''
Casualty
Casualty may refer to:
*Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster
**Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare
* The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...
'', becoming main writer for series three (1987–88). His monologue ''Stations'' (1988), broadcast as part of the BBC’s Play for One series, provided actor
Andrew Keir
Andrew Keir (né Buggy, 3 April 19265 October 1997) was a Scottish actor who appeared in a number of films made by Hammer Film Productions in the 1960s. He was also active in television, and especially in the theatre, in a professional career t ...
with "a tour de force solo role" according to
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
newspaper. Another one-off drama for BBC2 was ''
The Other Side'' (1992), starring
Frank Finlay
Francis Finlay, (6 August 1926 – 30 January 2016) was an English stage, film and television actor, Oscar-nominated for a supporting role as Iago in Laurence Olivier's 1965 film adaptation of ''Othello''.
In 1983, Finlay was directed by Ital ...
and
Richard E. Grant.
He wrote four episodes for series two of the BBC1 comedy-drama ''
The Hello Girls
''The Hello Girls'' is a British comedy-drama that originally aired on BBC One for two series from 5 September 1996 to 13 August 1998. It was inspired by the novel ''Switchboard Operators'' written by Carol Lake. The series is set in and around ...
'' (1996–98), as well as individual episodes of ''Badger (1999) '', which featured
Jerome Flynn
Jerome Patrick Flynn (born 16 March 1963) is an English actor and singer. He is best known for his roles as Paddy Garvey of the King's Fusiliers in the ITV series ''Soldier Soldier'', Bronn in the hit HBO series '' Game of Thrones'', and Benn ...
as a police wildlife liaison officer, and ''
Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes'' (2001), both for BBC1. A television series based on his McLevy radio series and novels is currently under development.
Radio
Ashton is best known as creator of the ongoing
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
drama series ''
McLevy
''McLevy'' is a British radio crime drama series, written by David Ashton, about the 19th century Edinburgh police detective James McLevy. Broadcast on BBC Radio 4 as part of its '' Afternoon Drama'' slot, the drama stars Brian Cox and Siobha ...
'', based on the career of 19th-century Edinburgh detective
James McLevy
James McLevy (1796–1875) was a prominent detective in Edinburgh during the mid-19th century, and later an author of popular crime mysteries.
Biography
The son of a farmer, he was born in Ballymacnab in County Armagh, Ireland. McLevy later m ...
. A pilot episode was first broadcast in 1999 and twelve series of the Scottish thief-taker’s exploits have followed up to 2016. The dramas star
Brian Cox as McLevy,
Siobhan Redmond
Siobhan Redmond, ( ; born 27 July 1959) is a Scottish actress, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, and known for various stage, audio and television roles.
Early life
Siobhan Redmond was born on 27 July 1959 in the Tollcross area of ...
as Jean Brash, Michael Perceval-Maxwell as Mulholland, and Ashton himself as Lieutenant Roach.
In addition, Ashton has written more than 15 other radio plays, including ''The Old Ladies at the Zoo'' (1985), starring Peggy Mount and Liz Smith, which won the Radio Times Drama Award that year, and three
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
adaptations: ''The Naval Treaty'', ''Black Peter'' and ''The Three Garridebs'' for BBC Radio 4. These were part of the complete recording of the Sherlock Holmes canon broadcast by the BBC between 1989 and 1998 and starring
Clive Merrison
Clive Merrison (born 15 September 1945) is a British actor of film, television, stage and radio. He trained at Rose Bruford College. He is best known for his long running BBC Radio portrayal of Sherlock Holmes, having played the part in all 64 ...
as Holmes and
Michael Williams as Watson.
Recent plays have included ''The White Hart'' and ''Me… Dancing'' for RTÉ in Dublin; ''No Help When Dead'' (2010) for BBC Scotland; ''Maidens' Trip'' (2010) for BBC Radio 4 and ''The Quest of Donal Q'' (2011), starring Billy Connolly and Brian Cox, for BBC Scotland and Radio 4.
Theatre
* 1988 ''Passing By'': a trilogy at the
Old Red Lion Theatre
The Old Red Lion is a pub and fringe theatre, at Angel, in the London Borough of Islington.
The theatre was founded in 1979 as the Old Red Lion Theatre Club. The pub was Grade II listed in 1994 by Historic England.
History
Construction
The p ...
, Islington, directed by
Dominic Dromgoole
Dominic Dromgoole (born 25 October 1963)[DROMGOOLE, Dominic Charles Flemi ...](_blank)
and starring
Julie Covington
Julie Covington (born 11 September 1946) is an English singer and actress, best known for recording the original version of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", which she sang on the 1976 concept album Evita.
Early life
Julie Covington was born in Lon ...
.
* ''The Eagle'':
Traverse Theatre
The Traverse Theatre is a theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1963 by John Calder, John Malcolm, Jim Haynes and Richard Demarco.
The Traverse Theatre company commissions and develops new plays or adaptations from contemporary pla ...
, Edinburgh.
* ''Stations'': Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and
Tron Theatre
The Tron Theatre is located in the corner of Trongate and Chisholm Street, in what was formerly the Tron Kirk which had started as the Collegiate Church of Our Lady and St. Anne in the Trongate area of Glasgow, Scotland. The Tron Steeple still ...
, Glasgow.
* 1991 ''A Bright Light Shining'':
Bush Theatre
The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers. The Bush Theatre strives to create a spa ...
, London, directed by Dominic Dromgoole, with
John Hannah,
Ewen Bremner
Ewen Bremner (born 23 January 1972) is a Scottish character actor. His roles have included Julien in ''Julien Donkey-Boy'' and Daniel "Spud" Murphy in '' Trainspotting'' and its 2017 sequel '' T2 Trainspotting''.
Early life
Bremner was born i ...
and
Joanna Roth
Joanna Roth (born Joanna Angelis in 1965) is a Danish-British actress. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and has appeared in film, TV, video games and theatre, in roles such as Ophelia in the film '' Rosencrantz & Guilde ...
.
* 1992-93 ''The Chinese Wolf'': Bush Theatre, London, directed by Dominic Dromgoole, with
Maureen Beattie
Maureen Jane Beattie (born 14 August 1953) is an Irish-born, Scottish actress of both stage and screen.
Early life
Beattie was born in Bundoran, County Donegal on 14 August 1953, as the daughter of Scottish actor and comedian Johnny Beattie, ...
and
Desmond Barrit
Desmond Barrit is a Welsh actor, best known for his stage work.
Biography
An early screen role for Barrit came in ''Alice through the Looking Glass'' (1998), in which he played Humpty Dumpty.
In 2003, he played Shylock in the Chichester Festiva ...
.
* 1994 ''The Mark'': Cockpit Theatre, London.
* 1996 ''Buried Treasure'': The
Lyric Theatre (Hammersmith)
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London. , directed by
Robin Lefevre
Robin Lefevre (sometimes "Lefèvre", born 1947) is a British theatre director. He has worked in Britain, Ireland, Australia, and the United States.
Career
Lefevre began as an actor in Scottish repertory theatre as well as playing small parts on B ...
, with
Alexander Morton
Alexander Morton (born 24 March 1945) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for his roles as Andy Semple in ''Take The High Road'', Golly MacKenzie in ''Monarch of the Glen (TV series), Monarch of the Glen'' and Billy Kennedy in ''River City''. ...
and
Jennifer Black
Jennifer Black is a Scottish actress notable for playing Stella Urquhart in the film '' Local Hero'' and DCS Gill Templer in the TV series ''Rebus''. She has also appeared in ''The Bill'', '' River City, Hi De Hi'' and ''Taggart''.
After leavi ...
.
* 1997 ''The Golden Door'': a children’s play performed at
The National Theatre, London.
* 1998 ''Me Dancing'':
The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon.
His latest piece ''Couchsong'', in which a therapist hauls her couch out into the garden and the story takes off from there, is yet to be performed.
Books
Ashton has chronicled further exploits of McLevy, the character first introduced on the radio, in a series of novels.
:
* 2006 ''The Shadow of the Serpent''
* 2007 ''Fall from Grace''
* 2009 ''A Trick of the Light''
* 2013 ''Nor Will He Sleep''
All are published by Polygon/Birlinn.
References
External links
*
*
Polygon/Birlinn
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashton, David
Scottish male television actors
Living people
Scottish dramatists and playwrights
1941 births
20th-century Scottish writers