Bruce Strachan
Bruce trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama [now RCS]. He works as an Acting teacher, Director and Producer, and is currently a lecturer in Acting at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. He has worked throughout the UK for companies such as Hull Truck, TAG Theatre Glasgow, The Arches, The National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and the National Theatre of Scotland. Bruce has been Artistic Director of Nonsense Room Productions since 2002 and has directed shows including Shark in the Park, You Choose! as well as Hairy Maclary & Friends in both UK and Internationally – including a Summer season at Sydney Opera House. For This Is My Story Productions, Bruce directed and co-Produced A War of Two Halves - the story of the legendary 1914-15 Hearts team - first performed at Tynecastle Park in 2018.
Paul Beeson
Paul is an Edinburgh-born actor, writer, teacher and co-founder of This Is My Story Productions. He has many theatre credits and has previously toured the U.K. and internationally with acclaimed company Nonsense Room Productions, performing in shows including Shark in the Park, You Choose and Ae Fond Kiss. Paul's first venture into writing was sketch show A Beginner's Guide to the Fringe in 2005, and then he co-wrote and performed in the critically successful Edinburgh Fringe sell-out production A War of Two Halves in 2018 and 2019. The play received 5 star reviews and was one of BritishTheatre.com's Critics Choices of 2019. He has also co-written 3 short films: The Hardest Hobbit to Break, Route de Sort and Last Night in the Cockpit. Paul is currently developing 2 comedy drama series: The VHS Diaries and Theatre in Education, and has also recently filmed a pilot for Scottish sitcom Game of Cones and recorded an audio drama called From An Island.
Tim Barrow
Tim trained as an actor at Drama Centre London, graduating with a BA Hons in 2001. His debut play Guy played at London's Pleasance Theatre, directed by Michael Fentiman. Union premiered at Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre, directed by Mark Thomson, and is published by Playdead Press. Neither God Nor Angel played at Oran Mor / Traverse, directed by Ryan Alexander Dewar. Tim was 1 of 5 writers who created The Sunnyside Centre for Village Pub Theatre, directed by Caitlin Skinner. A War Of Two Halves, co-written with Paul Beeson, played at Tynecastle Park in 2018 & 2019. Tim founded Lyre Productions to make independent Scottish feature films, writing / producing the award-winning indie Scottish road movie The Inheritance, and Edinburgh love story The Space Between, and schizophrenia love story road movie Riptide - currently screening at film festivals worldwide.
Matthew Brown is a pianist, composer, and musical director based in Larbert, Scotland. He has worked for 'Music in Hospitals and Care' since 1999 and as musical director for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Queen Margaret University, Nonsense Room Productions, Edinburgh Music Theatre, Edinburgh Grand Opera, and the Strathcarron Singers. He is also an animateur for Scottish Opera's Education programme and musically directs the acclaimed Memory Spinners Project working with dementia sufferers and their families. Matthew's music has been widely performed across the world. He is the composer of several successful children's shows including Hairy Maclary & Friends, Shark in the Park, and most recently You Choose! which is running as part of the Fringe this year.
Stephanie Arsoska
Movement Director
Stephanie trained as a performer with Cygnet Theatre Company and Jasmin Vardimond's Dance Company, completed a degree in Drama, Applied Theatre and Education from The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and recently completed a Masters in Teaching and Learning in the Performing Arts at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has directed performances as part of National Theatre Connections, Dundee Rep's Next Up, Chrysalis at the Traverse, Rep Stripped and Manipulate and currently lectures on the acting courses at Rose Bruford College, Queen Margaret University and Dundee and Angus College. She is an Associate Artist of Duende Theatre Company and Artistic Director of Third Thread www.thirdthread.co.uk
Natasha Murray
Natasha graduated in Costume Design and Construction Ba [Hons] from at Queen Margaret university. She is a costume designer, supervisor and seamstress based in the heart of Edinburgh. As a costume designer Natasha has worked on variety productions exploring various time periods. With a keen eye for attention to detail she enjoys investigating each era to ensure period accuracy is upheld, whilst seeing that her work boasts a unique design flare to give a personal touch to each production she designs. She designed for A War of Two Halves at Tynecastle Park. More of her work can be found at www.natashamurraycostumier.com
Eve Murray
Set Designer
Eve is a BAFTA-nominated production designer, scenic artist and props master, working in theatre, film and events. She has seventeen years experience and hopes to gain many more. "No two projects are alike, each one brings new challenges and opportunities to improve my skill set, that's why I love what I do." Beyond her professional roles she has a keen interest in social and local history, so when she was approached to design A War of Two Halves she jumped at the chance. Two years and one global pandemic later, she's delighted to be designing it's sister show, Sweet FA. "It's a pleasure to return to that world and play a part in uncovering forgotten history."