Ian Frost

IAN FROST's one man shows have been performed in New York City, in London, at the Edinburgh and Piccolo Spoleto Festivals, at the Luxembourg National Theatre, on tours of major cities in the U.S., the U.K., Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy and Greece, and for Cunard in the Mid-Atlantic, the Caribbean, and twice through the Panama Canal!

After training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and the Royal Court Actors Studio, Ian appeared with leading repertory theatres in England, including seasons at Plymouth, Perth, Farnham, Colchester, Birmingham and Coventry. His many television credits include 'Z Cars', 'Dr. Who', 'The Poet Herrick', 'Ivanhoe' and, for BBC Open University, Rousseau in 'Dinner at Holbach's' and Guardiano in 'Women Beware Women': from a man with too many principles to one with none at all! Productions in the London Fringe include 'The Sitwells', 'Plague Wind', 'Pythagoras' and 'The Provoked Wife'. During a break in the one-man show performances, he returned to London to appear on stage in the premiere of 'Screamers' and in the TV sitcom 'Girls on Top'.

Ian's professional association with Lord Byron began several years ago. A founder-member of ATC-London, he created the part of Byron/Narrator in its award-winning production of 'Don Juan' at the Edinburgh Festival. The company then toured extensively through England and Scotland and was invited to the Avignon Festival. The Byron connection continued with 'Byron: In Words & Music' for the British Council in Amsterdam and at the Edinburgh Festival, and the BBC Radio series, 'Byron's Last Letters'. Ian then decided his next Byron project must be a solo performance: both the man and the poet had so much to say about life, love and the human condition that this was the only way to attempt to do justice to such a remarkable character.

His enthusiasm was infectious. Bill Studdiford, the New York playwright, began extensive research and the result was a Byron biography/autobiography using for the most part Lord Byron's own words - from his letters, journals and poems:

BYRON IN HELL: His Life & Loves

This was so well received that the same team of playwright, director, and actor continued their Byron connection with

LESSONS IN LOVE: Byron's Don Juan

This was followed by

An invitation to return to Italy for a fourth tour lead to the development of an informal presentation of letters and poetry,

For the first time, in 1998, all six of the BYRON, KEATS and SHELLEY shows were presented within the same year. A happy milestone.

Then, in 2000, Ian performed his seventh solo show,

BYRON'S BEPPO, A Venitian Love Story

- a charming and witty triangular love story set in Venice.

After working with each of these three Romantics, it was a happy experience for Ian to bring them all together - and to share the stage with the playwright, in

Three Romantics: BYRON, KEATS & SHELLEY!

Our audiences responded so warmly that this led to another stage collaboration for Ian and Bill in their most recent presentation,

EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDS, Byron & Shelley

- a fresh look, with new material, at the complex relationship of these two great originals.

Bill Studdiford

BILL STUDDIFORD spent five delightful seasons at the Bremerton (Washington) Community Theatre as actor, director, designer, stage manager, and playwright before joining IBM for 26 years, working in 12 countries on four continents, with a special two-year leave of absence to help found the Children's Museum of Manhattan. Bill majored in journalism at Pacific University in Oregon and started writing for the theatre at that time.
Bill enjoyed writing and adapting the three plays making up the Byron Trilogy, compiling BYRON IN VENICE, and touring in the U.S. and Europe as stage manager, sound and light technician, stagehand and chauffeur - but welcomed the opportunity to become acquainted with John Keats and to write about him. With both BYRON and KEATS on the boards, it was almost inevitable for SHELLEY to follow. Once that play was completed, he couldn't help but wonder why he had made Shelley wait so long!

But then it was back to Lord Byron once again and his wonderful use of words, with an adaptation of his delightful poem, ‘Beppo’. Then it occurred to him -after exploring each of the poets individually, it was time to compare, contrast, and enjoy the three of them together. The result - Three Romantics: BYRON, KEATS & SHELLEY!, with the American playwright joining the English actor in presentation. This was followed by another collaboration on stage with new material in EXTRAORDINARY FRIENDS, Byron & Shelley.

JUDITH JOSEPH (Director), formerly the Artistic Director of Shelter West, a theatre founded by her in 1973 in New York City, and the Artistic Director of the Santa Fe Theatre Company in New Mexico, is presently in Paris working with Peter Brook. Her primary interest has always been promoting new plays, playwrights and artists in all aspects of the theatre. She toured with her Shelter West Company to Sweden, Norway and Finland and is currently considering an offer to become a Professor of Drama at the American University of Cairo in Egypt. Judith directed BYRON IN HELL's American Premiere showcase production at Shelter West in New York City, and also LESSONS IN LOVE, BYRON, A CELEBRATION, BYRON IN VENICE, and Yours Affectionately, JOHN KEATS. Judith left for Paris just as SHELLEY: The Rebel Heart was completed. Ian decided to accept the challenge of directing himself, never forgetting her battlecry, "No! I don't believe it - try it again!" ... and remembering that well-known acronym, WWJD (What Would Judith Do?).