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Stephen Tomlin is a semi-retired professional actor, director, producer and role player based in Northumberland UK. He produces and co-presents live audio events for The Border Readers having previously founded and ran Demi-Paradise Productions, presenting promenade Shakespeare and other entertainments at Lancaster Castle from 2000-2016. Under his birth name of Stephen Allen he was the 1991 BBC TV Mastermind champion, the first actor to win the UK’s most prestigious television quiz title.

Born and bred in the far south-west of England, Stephen trained as a specialist teacher at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1969 – 72. After an intensive period acting, teaching and running drama workshops in inner city London, Manchester and Teeside Stephen joined the Dukes Theatre-in-Education company Lancaster in 1976 and the city became his home base for the following four decades. Stephen has worked extensively in all media across the UK. In 2017 he moved to the Northumberland National Park to live with his partner, the artist & children’s picture book author, Kim Lewis. (www.kimlewisart.co.uk andwww.kimlewisbooks.co.uk) They married in August 2021. (See Wedding Page under ‘Other’) In 2018 Stephen founded The Border Readers specifically to entertain audiences in community and arts venues across the borderlands with themed literary readings.

Stephen’s occasional Country Diary is also published here.

Since moving back to the country in 2017 Stephen’s blogs have covered excursions across the British Isles and beyond. They include discoveries of west country farm buildings and churches, Andy Goldsworthy’s ‘Hanging Stones’ project (above), a road trip around Ontario, tour of Scottish castles and gardens, a medieval battlefield walk in Yorkshire, outings around Beira in the Portuguese countryside, as well as an archeological and literary tour of the far west of Ireland.

PRODUCTION NEWS

My wonderfully talented fellow readers and I have now finished our voyage to 17 borderlands venues with ‘Shore Lines’! See The Border Readers page for information on venues, writers and readers.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My west country upbringing has defined certain key roles in different media during a long and hugely varied career in the performing arts. Having a rural working class background and ‘default’ voice to match gave authenticity and depth to many characters I’ve played in theatre, radio and television. Otherwise my normal everyday RP speech keeps me in ‘neutral’ ready to move into other voices and characters, reflecting where I have lived and worked around the UK. Being based in the north of England has provided the other key component of my working practice. Dad was a Lancastrian – our family tree in the county goes back to the 17th Century – so I’m secure in having an understanding and pride in my northern heritage. I was fortunate in getting a grant aided vocational training at Central, looking back on it as a kind of cultural SAS course that brought out the resourcefulness and adaptability essential to making a successful living in the business. At age 74, in another richly gifted phase of life and career, I continue to explore and develop enjoyable creative opportunities!

We shall not cease from exploration/And the end of all our exploring/Will be to arrive where we started/ And know the place for the first time. (T S Eliot)