 Andrew McLay:
I would like to welcome you to the privileged world of Andrew Mclay: actor, playwright and dancer. Andrew has been an actor for eight years. To get his training, as no acting school would take him because of his wheelchair, he set up Uplift Theatre Company with a group of professional actors. Andrew then set up PANAMA T.C; devised a play about the First World War Poets, ‘Remembrance' and took it to the Edinburgh Festival. Andrew has written for stage and for Radio. His BBC radio 3 play, WATCH THE SPIDER, written and starring him ,was nominated in 2006 for a Pia Europa award for best European radio play. This was adapted from his critically acclaimed one man stage play of the same name. Critics: ‘Brilliant performance from Mclay' (Financial Times, Watch The Spider)‘ This was an admirably unflinching piece of writing with a rare conviction of voice' (The Guardian, Watch The spider) 'Andrew Mclay gave a fantastic performance'(Stage, Flesh 'n Steel) In 2008 WATCH THE SPIDER, was translated into Czech and broadcasted on Czech Radio, February the 4th. It has recently been nominated for a PRIX BOHEMIA award for best Czech Radio Play. Andrew is concentrating on his writing; creating another piece for his production company, INDEPENDENT OLD LADIES. Andrew has performed with numerous theatre companies; toured the Philippines in ‘Sacraments of the Dead', financed by the British Arts Council. As a dancer he has worked with Stare Case Dance Company and Cando co Dance Company. Andrew's first appearance on UK television was in Dangerfield where he played an injured policeman. He then got a roll in the three part television drama, ‘THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER', where he played ‘WATTS' an injured soldier. He appeared in the 'BILL' where he played a disabled pervert. You would have seen him in the ground breaking BBC children series ‘DESPERODS' where he played the character, 'O' REILLY' a wheelchair basketball coach. This year you would have seen him in, 'HOLBY CITY' playing the charcter 'MARTIN KELLY' where he played a Risk Manager. Andrew's claim to fame is that he was a Technical advisor on Ken Russels ‘Lady Chatterley's Lover' and that Jolie Richardson's baby threw up over him. Andrew has a degree in Psychology and his drama training is from the University of Life. |
