JAMES LARK

WRITING EXPERIENCE

Have written extensively for theatre, including complete productions Tony Blair – the Musical (“the seeds are here for a much bigger production - here is talent to be nurtured” – The Stage) and one-man show The Rise and Fall of Deon Vonniget (“very funny…fantastically skewed” – The New York Times). Have also written for NewsRevue, Ealing Live!, Focus Theatre Company and the Cambridge Footlights Dramatic Club. Co-wrote Fringe, a tongue-in-cheek guide to the Edinburgh Fringe (published by Friday Books), itself based on a series of articles written for satirical website The Friday Thing.

Have also conceived and written internet dramas Degrees of Separation and The Sitcom ("if you haven't already watched it you absolutely must" – The Guardian), have been commissioned to write and adapt plays for BBC radio and have written several short films, of which Summer's End won an Andrew Cross Award in 2006, and The Ghost of Kirkton Fell was selected for the Final Cuts Festival in Brighton.

Short films
Co-writer, DEGREES OF SEPARATION (pilot internet series, July 2009) – Talk to Rex productions
Co-writer, THE SITCOM (pilot, July 2007) – Felix films
Writer/director/composer, BEACH (April 2007) – Talk to Rex productions
Writer/director/composer, HIDE AND SEEK (October 2006) – Talk to Rex productions
Co-writer/co-director/composer/actor, SUMMER’S END (March 2005) – Hired Thugs productions
Co-writer/co-director/composer, THE GHOST OF KIRKTON FELL (June 2004) – Hired Thugs productions
Co-writer/co-director, HANGING UP (April 2004) – Hired Thugs productions
Co-writer/co-director, HANGOVER (January 2004) – Hired Thugs productions
Co-writer/co-director, HANGMAN (December 2003) – Hired Thugs productions

Theatre
Writer/musical director, NEWSREVUE (April 2008) – Canal Café theatre, dir. Max Webster
Lyricist/bookwriter/composer, TONY BLAIR – THE MUSICAL (July – September 2007) – Io Theatre Company, dir. Delyth Jones
Lyricist, WHAT’S IN A NAME? (Feb 2007) – short musical first performed at Greenwich Theatre, dir. Fiona Laird
Writer/performer, THE RISE AND FALL OF DEON VONNIGET (February/March/July/August 2006) – Io Theatre Company, dir. Delyth Jones
Adaptor/composer, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE (May 2006) – John Paxton Primary School
Writer/composer, LOST (May 2005) - The Humble Theatre Company, dir. Jodi De Souza
Writer/performer, A DRINK WITH THE UNCERTAINTY DIVISION (Aug 2004) – The Uncertainty Division
Writer/compere, AS TIME GOES BY (Feb 2003) – Focus Theatre Company, dir. Sheila Mander

Radio
Writer, A HOLLYWOOD CHRISTMAS (promotion, December 2005) – GRF
Writer, THE ‘DIVERSITY EXPLORED’ SEMINAR (short play, May 2005) – BBC Radio
Adaptor/director, DO NOT BE AFRAID (serial, Dec 2004) – BBC Radio

Published works
FRINGE: SEEING IT, DOING IT, SURIVIVING IT – A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE EDINBURGH FRINGE (with James Aylett) – Friday Books, 2006

Awards
MTM:UK Musical Theatre Awards, Edinburgh Fringe 2007 – commendation for the book of Tony Blair – the Musical
Andrew Cross Awards 2006 – commendation in Moving Image category for Summer’s End
Jerusalem Radio Awards 2004 – winner of Best Reflection for A Yorkshire Christmas

 

OTHER SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Comedy / improvisation: versatile comedy performer, with particular experience in solo performance (including stand-up, songs and musical comedy); the album of music from The Rise and Fall of Deon Vonniget was released by Friday Audio in 2006. Have performed in venues including London’s Amused Moose comedy club, the Junction and Mouthful@venue in Cambridge, Edinburgh’s Bongo Club Cabaret and Jool’s Holland’s Jam House venue. Experienced in performing narrative improvisation through regular work with The Uncertainty Division (“actually, properly, non-ironically great” – The Guardian).

Composition / musical directing: studied composition with Robin Holloway. Have had music performed by the choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, Cambridge New Music Society, English Voices (as part of the Cambridge Britten Festival in 2001), Trinity College Choir and Girton College Choir, which has toured with and recorded pieces of my music. Commissioned to write a Fantasia for a special recital by internationally renowned organist Guy Bovet in February 2003. Winner of the 2006 Choir and Organ magazine advent carol competition. Have directed music for film and theatre and have experience of orchestral and choral conducting with various ensembles.

Instrumental skills: proficient at violin (grade 8, with wide orchestral and stage experience), piano (grade 8), harmonica. Experienced singer (choral scholar with Girton College Chapel Choir 1999-2004). Fluent sight reader.

Music tuition: I teach violin, piano and music theory, and supervise composition and 20th century music for the Cambridge music tripos.

Cambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club - Secretary (2001/2002): I took on committee responsibilities from April 2000 onwards, including publicity, organising and performing in club shows, overseeing writing workshops and co-ordinating other events.  As Secretary I took minutes at the weekly committee meetings and co-ordinated the running of the club.

 

EDUCATION

University of Cambridge, B. A. Music (first class honours), 2002