Sleeping in her dad’s guitar case as a child, being inspired to become an actor by Eddie Murphy’s performance in Beverley Hills Cop and the importance of not having something to fall back on. All this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few with stage and screen actor, Amaka Okafor.

About Amaka Okafor

Amaka is one of the UK’s most exciting rising stars. She recently filmed the female lead in Black Rabbit, a limited series for Netflix starring Jason Bateman and Jude Law. Directed by Bateman, Justin Kurzel & Laura Linney, it will be released in late 2025. It has also been announced that Amaka will star in Secret Service for Pot Boiler and ITV opposite Gemma Arterton. 

In 2023, Amaka led the cast of Netflix/Moonage Pictures hit drama Bodies, opposite Stephen Graham; and 8-time BAFTA nominated BBC drama The Responder. In film, Amaka starred as one of the four female leads in Coky Giedroyc’s Greatest Days, the glorious Take That movie-musical. She has also built a fantastic reputation in the UK with an incredible range of standout theatre. Working with some of our finest directors and dramaturges including Robert Icke, Lyndsey Turner and Rufus Norris. 

Being star struck by Les Dawson, realising you ‘re not as good an actor as you thought you were and following in the footsteps of legendary figures Mike Bradwell and John Godber All this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few with Hull Truck’s Artistic Director, Mark Babych.

About Mark Babych
Mark is the Artistic Director of Hull Truck Theatre where he has directed: The Borrowers, Pinocchio, Pop Music, Ladies Unleashed, Teechers Leavers 22’, 71 Coltman Street, The Railway Children, Romeo and Juliet, Prince Charming’s Christmas Cracker, Two, Peter Pan, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Paragon Dreams, Oliver Twist, Mighty Atoms, A Christmas Treasure Island, The Gaul, Educating Rita, Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis, Sleeping Beauty, Dancing Through the Shadows, The Ladykillers, Cinderella and A Taste of Honey. 

He has directed a wide range of classic and contemporary theatre, new plays and Shakespeare, and his work has been seen throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland and Europe, including the Vanemuine Theatre in Estonia. He has twice won Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and several Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for Best Production. Between 1999 and 2009, Mark was the Artistic Director of the Octagon Theatre, Bolton, where he directed over 47 productions, including work by Arthur Miller, Shakespeare, Martin McDonagh, Conor McPherson and new plays by Tanika Gupta, Alan Plater and Les Smith. He has held senior posts at several theatres, including Community Director at Oldham Coliseum, Associate Director at Worcester Swan Theatre, and Associate Artist at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, and Theatre Absolute, for whom he directed the award-winning Street Trilogy. 

Other theatre credits include: To Sir With Love (Royal & Derngate, Touring Consortium and UK tour); Cooking With Elvis (Derby Theatre); Blonde Bombshells of 1943 (Hampstead Theatre and UK tour); Wuthering Heights (Aberystwyth Arts Centre and Welsh tour); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (LAMDA); Auto (Vanemuine Theatre, Estonia); All the Way Home (Library Theatre in association with the Lowry); Associate Director of the 2011 production of the Olivier Award-winning The Railway Children; co-creative director of The Complete History of Drinking in the Northern Quarter for Northern Quarter Stories and Co-creative Director of Littlebigman Films. 

Film and television credits include: Blackburn (Littlebigman Films); Burner and Bedlam (ALRA North); and Coronation Street (ITV). 

Sliding down bannisters at Bristol Old Vic, throwing snowballs at his headteacher and his journey from The Wardrobe Ensemble to becoming Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate, Northampton. All this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few with celebrated director Jesse Jones.

About Jesse Jones

Jesse Jones joined Royal & Derngate as Artistic Director in July 2023. Jesse co-founded the multi-award-winning company The Wardrobe Ensemble, has been Associate Artistic Director at Paines Plough and first worked with Royal & Derngate in 2015 as Resident Assistant Director supported by a Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme bursary. In 2011 Jesse founded The Wardrobe Theatre where he was Co-Artistic Director until 2015 and is currently a trustee of Shoreditch Town Hall. 

Most recent directing credits include The Jolly Christmas Postmanand Simple8’s Moby Dick in association with Royal & Derngate. Other notable directing credits include Mog the Forgetful Cat, a co-production between Royal & Derngate, the Old Vic and Wardrobe Ensemble, West End hits Death Dropand its sequel Death Drop Back in the Habit, Sorry You’re Not a Winner for Paines Plough, and the world premiere musical adaptation of Pippi Longstocking, for Royal & Derngate and Wizard Presents. Other collaborations between Royal & Derngate and The Wardrobe Ensemble include Education, Education, Education and The Last of the Pelican Daughters. Productions for The Wardrobe Ensemble also include 1972: The Future of Sex and WINNERS. Other credits include The Wind in the Willows for The Core at Corby Cube, The Grandfathers with the National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic, For the Record at Pleasance Theatre, This Perfect World for Theatre Royal Bath, Exceptional Mercy for The Old Vic, Building the Wall at The Bush Destiny at Tobacco Factory Theatres and Guttermouth, Wildbore and Scumbag for Wardrobe Theatre. 

Watching Blood Brotherson stage every year, hurtling down a mountain together and embarking on their first UK tour; The Intrusion. All this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few with international Lecoq-trained ensemble and Told by an Idiot associate company, Bric a Brac Theatre. 

About Bric à Brac Theatre

Bric à Brac Theatre are a Lecoq trained devising company that champion feminist theatre to address taboo subjects. Unafraid to push the boundaries, their collaborative practice aims to tackle challenging current affairs and showcase stories that deserve to be seen onstage. Combining various theatre mediums, Bric à Brac creates work that causes their audiences to become proactive and ask questions, all whilst maintaining the desire to develop meaningful connections. 

Playing numerous roles within the same production, early ambitions of becoming a surgeon (before he realised the amount of work it involved) and reaching number 46 in the UK music charts. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring celebrated performer and seasoned Idiot, Nick Haverson.

About Nick Haverson

His Theatre credits include: The Cat and the Canary (Told by an Idiot & Chichester Festival Theatre);The Yeoman of the Guard (The Grange Festival); Charlie & Stan (Told by an Idiot); Loves Labour’s Lost & Won (Much Ado About Nothing) (RSC Stratford & Haymarket London); Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Manchester, Told by an Idiot); Ben Hur (Watermill Newbury); The Devil and Mr.Punch (Improbable, Philadelphia USA/ Barbican UK); ‘1984’ (Northern Broadsides); Low Pay, Don’t Pay (Salisbury Playhouse); The Lost Voice (Southbank Centre); The Venetian Twins (Bolton Octagon); Ruby Moon (Northern Stage); Satyagraha (Improbable at London Coliseum/Metropolitan Opera House, NY); Theatre Of Blood (Improbable at The National Theatre); The Hanging Man (Improbable US tour & Sydney Opera House); And The Horse You Rode In On, Beauty & The Beast (Told by an Idiot); The Pirates of Penzance (Orange Tree, Richmond); The Solid Gold Cadillac (Garrick); By Jeeves (Duke of York /Lyric); The Magic Carpet (Lyric Hammersmith).

TV credits include: Scott & Bailey; Tales from the Old Bailey; The Mimic; Thank God You’re Here (series); Ashes to Ashes; Spooks; New Tricks; Casualty; Head Over Heels (series, for which he also recorded the title song ); Murder Rooms -The Dark Beginnings Of Sherlock Holmes; Sunday; A Fatal Inversion; Last Days of Ashenden; The Bill; Redemption; Devices and Desires; Absolutely True; Wyrd sisters (The Worst Witch 2).

Films include: Matriarch; Muppets Most Wanted; Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd; Hilary & Jackie; Susie Gold; The Tales of Despereaux (animation); Gulliver's Travels; Men Who Sleep in Cars.; Original Skin (BBC short); Gli Zii (short); Sherman (Short).

Radio: Hilda, The Barchester Chronicles, Two to Tandem, Men Who Sleep in Cars, By Jeeves (BBC Radio 4); The Edge (BBC Radio York). 

Making her stage debut at 4 years old with Cirque Du Soleil, time away from the limelight studying social sciences, and the responsibility of playing iconic figures on stage. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring Olivier award nominated performer, Audrey Brisson.

About Audrey Brisson
Audrey trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She also studied Classical Singing at Cegep St-Laurent, Canada. As a child and teenager, Audrey worked extensively with the Cirque Du Soleil as a vocalist and acrobat. She performed in their international tours of Reinvente and Quidam and the Cirque Du Soleil 30th Anniversary Concert.

Theatre includes: The Land of Might-Have-Been (Buxton Opera House); Jekyll and Hyde (Reading Rep Theatre); Into The Woods (Theatre Royal Bath); The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Live Stream) (Bristol Old Vic Theatre/ Wise Children); Nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for the Olivier Awards 2020 and Best Performance in a Musical for the UK Theatre Awards 2019 for her performance in the title role in Amélie The Musical (The Other Palace Theatre/ Hartshorn-Hook/ Selladoor/ Watermill Theatre); Marina in Pericles (National Theatre); Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio (National Theatre); she reprised Bella Chagall in The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Bristol Old Vic Theatre/ Edinburgh Festival) which Won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, Gelsomina in The Strada (UK Tour & The Other Palace); Dea in The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic); Bella Chagall in The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Kneehigh); Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre, Kingston); Dead Dog in a Suitcase & Other Love Song (Kneehigh); The Elephantom (National Theatre); Miss Hedgehog in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens); The Wild Bride and Midnight’s Pumpkin (Kneehigh).

Banging trays in family performances, the role of theatre in instigating social change, and the comfiness of Rufus Norris’ chair. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring the National Theatre’s Director of Public Acts, Emily Lim.

About Emily Lim

Emily Lim is a director whose work explores theatre making as a form of community building and radical joy. She works with professional and community artists in settings ranging from schools and theatres to community centres and international festivals. Directing credits include The Enormous Crocodile (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre & Leeds Playhouse), Pericles (National Theatre), Brainstorm (co-director, National Theatre & Park Theatre), We're Here Because We're Here (with Jeremy Deller & Rufus Norris, 1418 Now) and Yoko Ono's Bells for Peace (Manchester International Festival). Since 2017 she has been the Director of Public Acts, the National Theatre's flagship community programme, leading on the creation of large-scale community productions. Most recently she directed The Odyssey: The Underworldat the National Theatre, the fifth instalment of a five part nationwide production, which featured a company of 160 people drawn from all across the country. She is a trustee of The Koreo Foundation and an Associate of the National Theatre where she was awarded the inaugural Peter Hall Directing Award in 2016. 

Opening cans of Lilt at inappropriate times, auditioning to play himself, and adapting John Willard’s The Cat and the Canary for the Idiot’s brand new co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring celebrated writer Carl Grose. 

About Carl Grose
Carl Grose’s plays include Grand Guignol, Superstition Mountain, Gargantua, Horse Piss For Blood, The Kneebone Cadillac, 49 Donkeys Hanged and The No-Brainer.

For twenty four years he worked with the internationally acclaimed Cornish theatre company, Kneehigh, as both actor, writer and co-artistic director alongside founder Mike Shepherd. Writing for Kneehigh includes Tristan & Yseult (with Anna Maria Murphy), Blast!, Hansel & Gretel, The Wild Bride, The Tin Drum, based on the novel by Gunter Grass, Ubu! a singalong satire and Dead Dog In A Suitcase (and other love songs).

Other writing includes Wormy Close (Soho Theatre), Faust (Vesturport/Young Vic), The 13 Midnight Challenges of Angelus Diablo (RSC at Latitude), The Hartlepool Monkey (Gyre and Gimble), Oedipussy and The Frogs for Spymonkey, and Robin Hood for Regent’s Park. He has also worked with Told By An Idiot on various shows including The Dark Philosophers (National Theatre of Wales), Never Try This At Home (Birmingham Rep / Soho Theatre) and, most recently, the comedy thriller, The Cat and the Canary (Chichester Theatre).   

He also wrote the book and co-authored lyrics for Bristol Old Vic’s cult musical, The Grinning Man as well as writing Princess & Peppernose, a musical fantasy short film for Samsung, produced by Ridley Scott Associates and directed by Joe Wright.

Coming soon… Insidious – The Further You Fear, a theatre show based on the Sony / Blumhouse hit horror film franchise, which will tour America next year.

Early days as the Artful Dodger, landing their first professional theatre job in Cowbois ahead of graduating from LAMDA, and confusion over prices at Betty’s Tea Rooms. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring the exciting actor Lee Braithwaite. 

About Lee Braithwaite

Lee is an actor originally from Harrogate in Yorkshire. They made their debut in Cowbois at the RSC which went on to transfer to the Royal Court and have since been in Laughing Boy at Jermyn Street Theatre. They are currently rehearsing for The Other Place by Alex Zeldin at the National Theatre. They also have an exciting role in a new film We Live in Time, directed by John Crowley starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield coming out in the UK on 1st January 2025. 

Making oyster costumes for her primary school classmates, giving Tilda Swinton her first job, and hiding behind gym mats when visiting Simon McBurney at Lecoq. All of this and more is discussed in this month’s episode of Regrets I’ve Had A Few, featuring acclaimed director, performer and co-founder of the International theatre company Complicité; Annabel Arden.

About Annabel Arden
Annabel Arden’s  career encompasses opera, theatre and broadcasting as well as acting and devising new work. In 1983 Annabel was a co-founder of the International theatre company Complicité. 

In 2020 Annabel made her debut at the Schaubühne, Berlin co-directing - with Simon McBurney - a new adaption of the Kleist novel Michael Kohlhaas and she stepped behind the camera to direct a film of Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale for the Hallé Orchestra with Sir Mark Elder. Her most recent Opera production is Aïda for The Royal Danish Opera and she will direct a radical version of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman this winter at Opera North. 

In 2023 she was associate director for Omar Elerian’s As You Like It at the RSC and she was also associate for The Merchant of Venice or Merchant 36 starring Tracy Ann Oberman. 

Annabel teaches in a variety of contexts, for Complicite, in drama schools, Opera Houses and in the corporate sector. She studied at Cambridge and in Paris with Monika Pagneux, Philippe Gaulier and Jacques Lecoq.