We are thrilled to show you the creatives behind the Scriptwriters Showcase, which takes place on Sunday 27th April. 2pm at the Harwich Arts & Heritage Centre….
Don’t forget to book your tickets via:-
‘Too Old For This Sh*t’ reading – CAST
‘Payton’
STEWART ROME
Stewart originally trained at Bretton Hall College, West Yorkshire and then performed and produced professionally for 5 years in theatre and TV, including several national UK theatre tours and appearances in Brookside and Coronation Street.
He then followed a more stable career (whilst helping to raise a family) with a 20-year stint at the BBC in London, in both production (development and producing) and as Head of Rights (Business Development), where he was a key player in delivering the BBC iPlayer and countless other digital and online projects.
Work since returning as an actor in 2019 includes:
Film: DJ Kill (Superhuman Films), There’s One Every Year (NFTS), White Lands and Protected (London Film School). Recent shoots on Signs of Life (Millpotts Productions) and Double Kill (EMRJ) are both being released later in 2025.
Commercials: Takeda Pharmaceuticals, British Society of Rheumatology, Tingdene Homes, AGCO / Fendt Tractors, Merck
Voice Overs: Heirs To The Land and The Law According To Lidia Poet (Netflix)
‘Shay’
EMILY MILLWOOD
Emily trained at East 15 Acting School. They have recently appeared on screen in Disney+’s BLACK CAKE and on the film festival circuit in shorts WASTE and JOYCE.
Her credits on stage include one-person show THE CHANTING SEA (Theatre Deli), Macduff in MACBETH (Castle Park Theatre), and ‘Offie’-nominated HIVE (Edinburgh Fringe).
‘Jade’
SAMANTHA ANDERSON
Sam trained at The Lee Strasberg Institute for Method Actors in New York and has been acting professionally since the age of 6. She has lots of experience in television, theatre and film – she is currently featuring in 2 films due to be released this year along with a TV commercial and a play.
Some of Sam’s film credits include: Jane Sweeney in Sweeney Todd – Slice and Dice, and Marie in Borley Rectory.
Some of Sam’s theatre credits include: Margaret in 9-5, Celia in Calendar Girls and Heather in The Wasp.
Sam also owns a film production company called Ark Pictures whose award-winning short horror films can be found on the festival circuit.
‘Mark’
WILL MIDDLETON
Will trained at Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance in London and has since worked in Rep, London Fringe, and UK touring theatre productions as well as in TV & film.
His credits include:
Friar Laurence in ROMEO AND JULIET (Chelmsford Theatre),
Bob Cratchit in A CHRISTMAS CAROL (UK tour),
Major Cary in BEN BUTLER (English Theatre of Hamburg).
Will is also a voice over artist.
‘Stumpy Tone’
PAUL ANDREW GOLDSMITH
Paul is an Actor in TV/Film/Theatre and a Theatre Director for Twisted Reality Productions based in Norfolk.
Credits include:
Theatre: Sherlock Holmes / 101 Dalmatians / Up Pompeii (UK Tours)
Film: Just One Blood / Stanley’s War (Feature Films)
TV: Catching Killers / Roswell / Engineering That Built the World
He is also the Theatrical Director of Warner Bros’ The Polar Express at the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
Director – ‘Ror’
CHRIS ANDERSON
Chris Anderson is an Actor with over two decades of experience in the industry.
TV work includes: Red Eye, Silo, Rome, Doctor Who, Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
His diverse performing background includes plays at The National Theatre, a number of BBC Radio Dramas, fifteen commercials and roles in award-winning short films.
Chris has recorded hundreds of Voiceovers including national campaigns for: Sky, Jaguar, VW and Trivago.
Video games include: Total War: Warhammer II and Arena.
He has narrated documentaries for The History Channel and Channel 5, and dubbed countless foreign language films and TV series for Amazon.
Upcoming work includes: Two projects for Netflix – an animated feature and a Yorkshire-set crime drama.
Chris runs his own Acting Workshops and Screen Acting Classes under the ‘Screen Time’ name.
Screenwriter
PADDY FRANCIS
Committed to writing 3 screenplays in 2025, Harwich-based Screenwriter/Director Paddy Francis is currently immersed in writing his second play of this year – a wickedly absurd black comedy, lust/love story.
His first play of this year, ‘Too Old For This Sh*t – a British gangster black comedy – was written in under 4 months.
Written in 2023, Paddy is currently pitching his black comedy crime series ‘Waste’ to networks and producers across the UK.
His first screenplay, ‘Failing Narcissus’, landed on a talent programme with a prestigious UK-based script consultancy.
He has written for stage, radio and screen. An avid and fanatic follower of Robert McKee’s methods (the Hollywood guru of screenwriting), Paddy has been studying this craft for over 20 years, achieving a writing MA back in 2009.
Guest Speaker
MARN DAVIES
Marn Davies is known for his work as a Writer on the feature films:
The Gentlemen,
Wrath of Man,
Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre,
The Covenant
…as well as being an Executive Producer on The Gentlemen TV series.
Since 2001, Marn has worked as a Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, and Camera Person across Film and TV.
Marn received his first TV directing credit for The National 5-a-side Championships for Sky Sports in 2001, and in 2005 co-directed the BBC One Live 8 documentaries.
He has edited promos for Hollywood movies including Sherlock Holmes and Unknown.
Marn Davies on Paddy Francis –
“I had the good fortune of meeting Paddy back in 2001 – so long ago in fact, that I believe I still had hair. At this point I was briefly employed to teach Paddy (and a few dozen other poor souls) Media and Film at Colchester VIth Form College.
What, exactly, I had to teach at the age of 25, and what they could possibly have learnt from me at this time – I’m not qualified to say – as I probably wasn’t qualified to teach! But there you are. I think most of the students came through unscathed and hopefully with whatever necessary grade they needed to springboard onto the next – and more edifying – stage of their young adult lives.
Yoda I was not, full of hot air I was. Some things don’t change.
One such thing that hasn’t changed is Paddy’s exceptional positivity and work ethic. As in, he has always showed up. To lessons back then and subsequently to doing the hard work of writing. And that Paddy lad can write. He has a voice.
A voice that the creative arts are at risk of losing if we’re not careful. Which is partly why we bonded. Working class lads from Essex who probably weren’t expected to pick up a pen and try to make a living from it.
But all (bad) jokes aside, since reconnecting with Paddy again I have nothing but respect for his work as an artist and his work ethic. Paddy made a life-long commitment to his work and craft long ago. That’s what being a writer is I think. Writing. Every day (give or take). Showing up and doing the work. Even when it’s easier not to write.
Paddy writes a lot. Producing great work with a strong, authorial voice, and a solid understanding of his craft, developed through hard work and experience. Now it’s time other people received the excellent opportunity to be taught by him. I have no doubt he will show you all what an excellent teacher really looks like.
And he still has his hair.”
