Tony McCaffery
Chairman / Executive Producer / Actor

Having acquired a taste for the performing arts at school, Tony became a member of PACE Youth Theatre in 1989 and appeared in numerous productions throughout his teenage years alongside a number of now-famous alumni under the guidance of Mhairi Gilbert and David Wallace.

In 1991 Tony performed in Scandinavia with Gawenda Theatre Company and this is where he first dreamt of running his own production company.

Tony’s involvement in the theatre developed when he completed a placement with PACE that provided training in a variety of production activities including set building, lighting, sound, stage management and theatre administration.

Over the next decade Tony focused on his corporate career but would occasionally indulge in various creative outlets including writing, music, dance, stand-up comedy, radio and television.

In 2008 Tony joined STG: Strathclyde Theatre Group and embarked on a series of courses with the Ramshorn Theatre and the University of Strathclyde. The acclaimed Art of Acting programme introduced Tony to a group of talented new actors and re-ignited his passion for stage acting and ultimately his ambition to develop and lead his own theatre company.

Tony, along with Alan Hendry and Claire Martin launched acting cubed in June 2009. Tony currently assumes the role of Chairman of acting cubed and has operated as Executive Producer for Plaza Suite, The Visit, Table Manners and as Director for The Trial of Olympe de Gouges.

Alan Hendry
Actor / Treasurer

From accounting to acting - after 25 years in finance and accounting, Alan is excited by his new venture, and said: “I’m finally having some fun!”

Despite a lifelong fascination with films & acting, it was only 18 months ago that he first appeared on stage in ‘Strictly Come Aff It. The show by the Mrs Miggins Theatre Company was performed at the Airdrie Arts Centre and Clydebank Town Hall, with Alan playing the part of a dancing judge.

And last year Alan took his next step, kicking off acting classes at Strathclyde University and joining the Ramshorn Theatre Company.

Married with two grown-up children, his other interests are film making, golf and the Western Isles.

Claire Martin
Actor / Company Secretary

Claire has always been extremely interested in the performing arts.

Last year she attained the London Academy Music and Drama Association bronze award at distinction, doing monologues from Educating Rita and Macbeth, and is currently working towards achieving her silver medal.

Claire is also an active member of the East Kilbride Repertory Theatre Club, playing Shelley in Ladies Day, Claire in Daisy Pulls it Off, Nancy in The Sunshine Boys, and making a variety of cameo roles in Good Things.

A keen singer, Claire has sung with a number of choirs, including the Paisley Abbey Choir, over the years. She has completed the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama exams for singing to Grade 7.

Claire is a member of the production team for acting cubed, and is enjoying being involved in the group’s first production, Plaza Suite. Like many others in acting cubed, Claire has completed the Art of Acting classes 2 and 3 at Strathclyde University.

Louise Boyle
Actor

Louise’s passion for acting was ignited at a young age with a series of speech and drama classes which provided her first insight into the world of theatre, and this led to a variety of appearances with an amateur dramatics group in her home city of Dublin.

Annual appearances in the Dun Laoghaire pantomime with the Pierrots group in Ireland ensured that she had completed another actor’s rite of passage at an early age. An early winning appearance alongside the late, great Dermot Morgan of Father Ted fame (albeit at a community sports day) was another early step towards the acting life.

Swapping Ireland for Scotland in 2001 and with a successful career in marketing, Louise’s love of acting (spurred by a worrying adoration of Doris Day) returned and was developed by a series of acting courses with Strathclyde University and the Ramshorn Theatre.

Aaron Pennie
Actor / Photographer

New to drama having come from a photography background, Aaron returned from university at the Cumbria Institute of Arts and wanted to broaden his horizons and add a new artistic direction to his interests. A nudge in the right direction from his father sent him in the direction of the Ramshorn acting classes.

Scott Strachan
Actor

Scott is a Research Fellow in Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Strathclyde University, but has recently began to develop his passion for acting, completed a series of evening acting classes run by the University’s Centre for Lifelong Learning in association with the Ramshorn Theatre.

He has admired the craft of acting from afar mainly through his long-lasting love of film. Despite having absolutely no previous acting or performing experience, Scott decided to follow his curiosity and find out exactly ‘what all the fuss was about’.

The acting courses provided Scott with a newfound level of respect for the craft and whetted his appetite for more, as well as introducing him to a number of like-minded people, and he said: “There’s no doubt we’ve gelled well, and it’s been a great decision to pursue our ambitions of staging and acting in own amateur productions.”

Scott hopes the newly formed acting cubed company will continue to flourish and provide a genuine source of local entertainment for many a future audience, while allowing him and others to indulge their growing interest in acting.

Alison Purcell
Actor / Web Developer

Alison's parents met through their pursuit of amateur drama and their evident love of it encouraged her to want to try it for herself. Arriving at it late, she is trying to catch up for lost time and over the last few years has been joining everything drama related she could find. She met most of the other members when she joined their class, and is very pleased to be a part of acting cubed.

Stewart MacDougall
Actor

Stewart discovered a joy of the Theatre when he was very young, being taken to a performance of Dracula Spectacula put on by a local amateur group. He said: “I couldn’t believe my eyes, there were vampires singing and dancing right in front of me. But it wasn’t until my early teens that I stumbled upon acting.”

Attending Scottish Youth Theatre’s Summer Festival Programme in 1995 on the film and video course, Stewart took part in a small street theatre performance, and said: “What an exciting experience, and a great buzz!” From there he continued with classes at SYT for several years.

Having drifted away from acting and into the world of science, the last couple of years have seen his gradual return, and Plaza Suite is his second performance of 2009, following STG’s production of Titus Andronicus.

Linn van der Zanden
Actor

Linn van der Zanden, originally from the Netherlands, joined the group for Acting 2 and made her Acting Cubed debut in Plaza Suite last year as the character 'Muriel'. She also joined the cast for their production of The Visit earlier this year as 'Frau Schill', and is delighted to be back with the group for Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Table Manners, this time playing the character of 'Sarah'.

Linn has appeared in several musicals in Glasgow, including Oklahoma!, Hello Dolly!, Kiss me Kate, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Copacabana as principal, dancer and chorus. She has also toured on various pantomime productions.

Ailsa Bennet
Actor

Ailsa made her theatrical debut when aged five when she ‘appeared’ at Perth Theatre. Since then, her theatrical experience has been extensive and varied within the UK, Europe and the USA.

However, this production represents a lifetime ‘first’ for her - for the first time in her life she is stepping out of the audience and onto the stage!

A doctor for 30 years, she started her drama training at Strathclyde University in October 2008 as part of the Ramshorn Theatre’s programme of courses.

She said: “I’m really proud to make my first stage appearance as a member of acting cubed.”

Kieran McFadden
Creative Director

Kieran joined acting cubed to cast a creative eye over proceedings as an aesthetic consultant, becoming stage manager for Plaza Suite and put in charge of creative direction for acting cubed.

A University of Strathclyde BA graduate, Kieran progressed to a key interactive marketing role with a multi-national organisation where he provides advice on online advertising and interactive marketing to some of Europe’s top companies.

Taking these skills to the theatre Kieran has turned his skills to marketing and advertising acting cubed. As stage manager for Plaza Suite, Kieran and the production crew have worked to ensure that their vision for set, wardrobe and authenticity is achieved.

Regina Hobsch
Actor

Always harbouring an interest and fascination with the performing arts, it has taken Regina a long way over the years - from Germany to Scotland, and finally to STG where she discovered the fun of acting and theatre production.

Originally a classical musician and singer, her recent acting classes were her first peek at acting and backstage work, and this unexpectedly led to her tackling theatrical light and sound for the first time.

She said: “I’ve been so encouraged by the great bond that has brought and keeps acting cubed and its versatile members together. I am now looking forward to future work and fun within this enthusiastic environment. My life has never been so creative before.”

Kate Graham
Actor

Having always loved acting and drama, Kate joined the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow in 2006, and immediately found it to be lots of fun. She enjoyed a small part in Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

She said: “I’ve met a great bunch of people at Strathclyde University’s Art of Acting classes and this is an exciting opportunity for us all.”

Hilary Thomson
Actor

Hilary is enjoying a return to drama with acting cubed, having not indulged since school days, which she readily admits are ‘just a bit too long ago to remember'.

Acting classes in recent times have helped her to develop the craft and renew her passion for the arts. Hilary also enjoys singing, jazz and classical, to Grade 5 Distinction. She is also a member of the University Choral Society.

Alexis McWilliams
Actor

A family funeral provided an unusual introduction to acting for Alexis. After speaking at the funeral she was told that she had a flair for public speaking and followed the advice to investigate getting into the acting life.

Having always been a bit of a self-confessed extrovert, Alexis enrolled in acting classes and quickly recognised the perfect way to challenge herself and channel her energy.

The Art of Acting 1 evening class ran at Strathclyde University got her hooked within weeks. She then went on to complete Art of Acting 2 and 3 and met up with the other members of what was to become acting cubed.

Alexis’s love for all things vintage and has led to her managing the wardrobe department, working with the actors in bringing each character to life.

Sarah Hepworth
Actor

Sarah took part in many plays and musicals at school. After a long break she is enjoying exploring drama again, both onstage and through costume design. She also sings with Cathures, a Glasgow chamber choir.

Alex Norris
Actor

Since being persuaded to take part in the University of Strathclyde's Acting courses, one helmed by our dear Jane Dunbar (Director for The Visit), Alex has been very much enjoying getting back into acting. Acting Cubed has given him his first time treading the boards since playing Bert in All My Sons and Peter Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank, as well as a few other roles as a youngster.

Miriam Dokotliver
Actor

Miriam acted as a child in school plays in Israel and later on did some work as an Extra in various film and TV movies. She started doing acting classes as part of her interest in creative writing and movie making and was happy to accept the challenge of joining Acting Cubed.

Nicholas Sidickie
Actor

Having run his own business for a number of years, Nicholas wanted to try something completely different. For him, the thought of participating in the performing arts has always been a terrifying yet strangely attractive prospect.

He took the plunge in 2009 by enrolling in a drama course at Strathclyde University. He says “I can’t understand what took me so long! Overcoming my social inhibitions through acting has been such a liberating experience!”

Morris Brodie
Actor

Morris is currently a student at Strathclyde University studying History and Politics and is a member of the Strathclyde Theatre Group. He started acting as a child by joining The Drama Workshop in Bearsden which ran shows every year where he took roles as varied as Batman and Hercule Poirot.

After leaving at age 16 he had his love of performing rekindled after a success at a school talent show and took acting 1, 2 and 3 at Strathclyde where he met Jane Dunbar who suggested him for a role in The Visit.

Sarah-Jane Hannah
Actor

SJ has wanted to pursue an acting career since being given her first role, aged 11, as narrator in her school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. However, being a sensible sort, she went on to the more predictable but dull life of Chartered Accountancy.

A performance with the Pantheon Theatre Group encouraged her to take time out to do an HND in drama a few years ago.

Since then being a mum to her 2 young children has provided quite enough distraction from number crunching, although she has thoroughly enjoyed her return to acting classes at Strathclyde University this year, and hopes that her recent role with Acting Cubed, in the Visit, will be the first of many.

Craig Kane
Actor

Having no dramatic experience whatsoever, Craig attended the Art of Acting evening classes run by the Ramshorn Theatre at Strathclyde University. Finding this both an enjoyable and challenging experience, he made his debut performance in The Visit.

Eli Hanzlikova
Actor

Eli comes from the Czech Republic where she was part of a student acting company called Puda. Since her arrival in Scotland she appeared in ‘Southside Passion’ in St Margaret’s Newlands and attended Jane Dunbar’s acting class at The University of Strathclyde.

Robert Benison
Actor

Robert came to acting very late! He has been a member of the Kirkintilloch Players for the past three years and has appeared in everything from serious drama to pantomime. He took an acting course at Strathclyde University with Jane Dunbar which led to his joining acting cubed.