After graduating from Goldsmiths' University in Drama and English I ran a theatre company with German director and writer Marc von Henning. The company hosted Heiner Muller and successfully premiered some of his work here at the famous Soho Poly Theatre and at the Lyceum in Edinburgh. Three years later I moved into television and social history.
Over the next 8 years I helped set up Testimony Films in Bristol and worked with the company on several award winning and influential social history series and tie in books. Documenting the reality of life during the first half of the century the films told the true stories of taboo areas of Britain's past.
A Labour of Love, Forbidden Britain, Out of Sight, A Man's World and The Call of the Sea are still widely used in social history teaching. Our extensive interviews are available through the National Sound Archive and the IWM.
During my work at Testimony I was lucky enough to interview the last survivors of the First World War. I also directed a hugely influential film on the experience of sexual abuse in Britain during the first half of the century. During the research for this extremely sensitive film I interviewed over 200 people and wrote an educational booklet for survivors of historical abuse and an accompanying DVD. Some of the interviews formed part of Forbidden Britain, the book and series.
