Annette Badland is currently appearing in The Winter’s Tale and Eyam at the Globe Theatre. She is an award-winning actress, nominated for an Olivier for Sadie in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She is known for her roles in EastEnders, Doctor Who, Outlander, Bergerac and Cutting It. Theatre work includes Sir Peter Hall’s Company, RSC, National Theatre, Royal Court, Cheek By Jowl and The Almeida also The Royal Exchange, Manchester where she won critical acclaim as Madame Arcarti in Blithe Spirit. Films include: The Man Who Invented Christmas, Terence Davies’, A Quiet Passion, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Twenty Four Seven, Jabberwocky and Little Voice. On Radio 4 she plays horrid Hazel in The Archers!
“We live in ‘interesting times’ and therefore a time of exciting ideas and creative writing in theatre but sadly a time when there is a severe lack of funding in the arts. Andrew Keates at Arion Productions is producing intelligent, stimulating and diverse work for all involved: audience and performers alike. With compassion for the human condition, humour and integrity guiding this company (plus the occasional musical) Arion Productions produces work of an extremely high standard and I am proud to play a supporting role in their endeavours.”– Annette Badland
Arion Productions Ltd was formed in 2012 with the primary goal of providing opportunities for theatre-makers and presenting theatrical pieces based on artistic merit and striving to give a voice to marginalised members of society. Just some of their productions have included; Steve Furst: In Character (Underbelly Festival, Museum of Comedy, Tristan Bates), As Is (Trafalgar Studios and Finborough), Dessa Rose (Trafalgar Studios), Passing By (Tristan Bates and Finborough), The White Feather (Union Theatre), Rooms: A Rock Romance (Finborough) and A Winter’s Tale (Landor Theatre).
Arion also produces a number of events and resources to help theatremakers outside of their productions too, including Portfolio Masterclasses– a series of affordable masterclasses that brings prominent members of the performing arts industry together with other professional and emerging artists to help nurture their craft and career, The Show People Podcast– a free podcast made for theatremakers, which shines a spotlight on the UK performing arts industry and those dedicated to their craft as well as many wrap-around activities to engage audiences connected to subject matters within the productions.
Arion has undertaken an enormous fundraising campaign to do more events and productions in 2018 and 2019 and are asking anyone who supports the arts to please visit their GoFundMe page here and add their name to their list of supporters by making a donation of any size.
Andrew was the theatre manager and artistic consultant of the Landor Theatre for over three years. He is the current artistic director of Arion Productions, through which he launched the Show People Podcast in 2017. The free bi-weekly podcast shines a spotlight on the UK performing arts industry and to those dedicated to their craft within it. It's on Twitter at @ShowPeopleUK. In addition, Andrew tweets at @andrewkeates and his personal website is www.andrewkeates.co.uk.
