Harry Denford
Encyclopedia
Harry Denford is a stand up comedian, playwriter, theatre director and actor
.
, London
, England
on 22 February 1968. His secondary school was John Roan school
in Blackheath
, London. After giving up a career as a commercial pilot ATPL and became a stand up comedian. He then spent two years studying drama at the City Literary Institute known usually as The City Lit in London.
spot, he was given his first paid spot at Jongleurs
in Camden
.
He still performs most weeks at major comedy clubs around the UK and in 2008 was asked to run a stand-up comedy course for new comics at the famous Up The Creek Comedy Club in Greenwich
which sees many new comedians do their first ever live gig at this large venue. He runs 'The London Comedy Course' in association with Up The Creek.
which since 2005 has played over 100 UK theatres including major theatres such as The Lowry
in Manchester, Derby Playhouse
, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Guildford and on five separate occasions at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley with a professional cast plus many more theatres around the UK with amateur theatre
productions.
While a student at City Lit, he wrote his first play, SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT, http://www.practicalproductions.co.uk/stage-reviews.php which was first performed in 2004 at the Barons Court Theatre
in London.
In 2006 he wrote the comedy THE BRIDGE which was performed in London that year and also in 2008 now under the theatre director Tim McCavoy at the Rosemary Branch Theatre
.
In 2007 he wrote the play JOY DIVISION http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/review_view.php?uid=2525#reviews about Nazi sex workers commissioned for the 'Branching Out' season in London where established writers have to produce a new theatre play on a subject they have no previous knowledge of. The play was staged again in London in 2008 and also in Belfast in 2009.
He also co-wrote the musical THE LEGION with Dee Gaynor which various theatres around the UK.
In 2008 he wrote ROSE WITHOUT A THORN for The Rose (theatre)
on London's Bankside which looked at the life of Catherine Howard
and this was the first fully costumed brand new full-length play to be performed at this theatre for over 400 years.
In 2009 he co-wrote the comedy He's Behind You for the Kenton Theatre in Henley which looks behind the scenes of a Pantomime.
A selection of his plays is published by TURKINA [ISBN 978-0-9559148-0-5].
in Manchester and The Rose (theatre)
Bankside in London.
Directing work includes:
In June 2011 he became the Artistic director for 'The London Theatre' and in the same year associate director for 'Shakespeare in the Park'
Review of Denford's 2007 stage play 'JOY DIVISION'
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
.
Personal life
Harry Denford was born in GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 22 February 1968. His secondary school was John Roan school
John Roan school
The John Roan School is a secondary comprehensive school in Greenwich, South London that was a member of The Beacon Schools program.- Location :...
in Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
, London. After giving up a career as a commercial pilot ATPL and became a stand up comedian. He then spent two years studying drama at the City Literary Institute known usually as The City Lit in London.
Stand-up comedy
Denford started on the comedy circuit in 1997, becoming noted for his loud, 'Saff' London geezer on-stage persona. Within six months of performing his first ever open mikeOpen mike
An open mike or open mic is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually, the performers sign up in advance for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies. These events can be focused on poetry and the spoken word, music, comedy, and the open format of open...
spot, he was given his first paid spot at Jongleurs
Jongleurs
Jongleurs is a chain of comedy clubs in the United Kingdom. Maria Kempinska MBE established and opened the first Jongleurs club in 1983 in Battersea, London. In 1985 Maria then met her business partner John Davy, and together they built the Jongleurs brand. The company evolved into a corporate...
in Camden
London Borough of Camden
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough were already developed and had a total population of 96,795. This continued to rise swiftly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 270,197 in the middle of the century...
.
He still performs most weeks at major comedy clubs around the UK and in 2008 was asked to run a stand-up comedy course for new comics at the famous Up The Creek Comedy Club in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
which sees many new comedians do their first ever live gig at this large venue. He runs 'The London Comedy Course' in association with Up The Creek.
Playwriting
Denford's best known work to date is the aviation comedy CLUB CLASS http://www.practicalproductions.co.uk/stage-reviews.phpwhich since 2005 has played over 100 UK theatres including major theatres such as The Lowry
The Lowry
The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex situated on Pier 8 at Salford Quays, in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early-20th century painter, L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England...
in Manchester, Derby Playhouse
Derby Playhouse
Derby Theatre is a theatre situated in Derby, England. Formerly known as the Derby Playhouse, it was operated by Derby Playhouse Ltd from its opening in 1975 until 2008, when the company ceased operating after a period in administration...
, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, Surrey presents in-house productions which often tour and transfer to London's West End. Other performances include opera, ballet and pantomime. Named after the actress Yvonne Arnaud, the company has two performance venues, a main theatre and the smaller Mill...
Guildford and on five separate occasions at the Hawth Theatre in Crawley with a professional cast plus many more theatres around the UK with amateur theatre
Amateur theatre
Amateur theatre is theatre performed by amateur actors. These actors are not typically members of Actors' Equity groups or Actors' Unions as these organizations exist to protect the professional industry and therefore discourage their members from appearing with companies which are not a signatory...
productions.
While a student at City Lit, he wrote his first play, SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT, http://www.practicalproductions.co.uk/stage-reviews.php which was first performed in 2004 at the Barons Court Theatre
Barons Court Theatre
Barons Court Theatre is a small theatre of only 57 cinema style seats located in the basement of The Curtains Up public house in Comeragh Road in West London...
in London.
In 2006 he wrote the comedy THE BRIDGE which was performed in London that year and also in 2008 now under the theatre director Tim McCavoy at the Rosemary Branch Theatre
Rosemary Branch Theatre
Rosemary Branch Theatre is a theatre above a public house, in Islington on the borders of Hackney and Shoreditch. It has a capacity of 57 seats, expandable to 65. The pub is a freehouse and the venue is independent and privately-owned.- Stage :...
.
In 2007 he wrote the play JOY DIVISION http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/review_view.php?uid=2525#reviews about Nazi sex workers commissioned for the 'Branching Out' season in London where established writers have to produce a new theatre play on a subject they have no previous knowledge of. The play was staged again in London in 2008 and also in Belfast in 2009.
He also co-wrote the musical THE LEGION with Dee Gaynor which various theatres around the UK.
In 2008 he wrote ROSE WITHOUT A THORN for The Rose (theatre)
The Rose (theatre)
The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre , the Curtain , and the theatre at Newington Butts The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577),...
on London's Bankside which looked at the life of Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard
Catherine Howard , also spelled Katherine, Katheryn or Kathryn, was the fifth wife of Henry VIII of England, and sometimes known by his reference to her as his "rose without a thorn"....
and this was the first fully costumed brand new full-length play to be performed at this theatre for over 400 years.
In 2009 he co-wrote the comedy He's Behind You for the Kenton Theatre in Henley which looks behind the scenes of a Pantomime.
A selection of his plays is published by TURKINA [ISBN 978-0-9559148-0-5].
Theatre directing
Denford has directed numerous professional theatre productions around the UK, with performances at theatres such as The LowryThe Lowry
The Lowry is a theatre and gallery complex situated on Pier 8 at Salford Quays, in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. It is named after the early-20th century painter, L. S. Lowry, known for his paintings of industrial scenes in North West England...
in Manchester and The Rose (theatre)
The Rose (theatre)
The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre , the Curtain , and the theatre at Newington Butts The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577),...
Bankside in London.
Directing work includes:
- Shakers by John GodberJohn GodberJohn Harry Godber is an English dramatist, known mainly for his observational comedies. In the 'Plays and Players Yearbook' for 1993 he was calculated as the third most performed playwright in the UK behind William Shakespeare and Alan Ayckbourn. He has a wife and 2 children.-Biography:Godber was...
at Barons Court TheatreBarons Court TheatreBarons Court Theatre is a small theatre of only 57 cinema style seats located in the basement of The Curtains Up public house in Comeragh Road in West London...
in London - The Cherry OrchardThe Cherry OrchardThe Cherry Orchard is Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's last play. It premiered at the Moscow Art Theatre 17 January 1904 in a production directed by Constantin Stanislavski. Chekhov intended this play as a comedy and it does contain some elements of farce; however, Stanislavski insisted on...
at The Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks and in 2009 he was asked to direct the somewhat 'eyebrows' raised from the purist mid winter production of Midsummer Night's Dream for Shakespeare's The Rose (theatre)The Rose (theatre)The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre , the Curtain , and the theatre at Newington Butts The Rose was an Elizabethan theatre. It was the fourth of the public theatres to be built, after The Theatre (1576), the Curtain (1577),...
on London's Bankside.
In June 2011 he became the Artistic director for 'The London Theatre' and in the same year associate director for 'Shakespeare in the Park'
External links
- Harry Denford official website http://www.denford.flyer.co.uk
Review of Denford's 2007 stage play 'JOY DIVISION'
- http://www.remotegoat.co.uk/review_view.php?uid=2525#reviews