The Company

GERALD - DIRECTOR
I started my drama career way back in 1985 with Beds County Youth Theatre. I attended a small drama school (cheap; no longer there. In fact the buiolding has been demolished and a new church placed there!) and then scraped by undertaking extra and walk-on work for TV and film as well as fringe theatre. There was no money in it but 'Poor' theatre struck a bell for me and made me want to do more, and more of it. During these days I met a number national institutions such as the lovely Joanne Lumley, David Jason and Sir Mark Rylance which was a proper treat. But, I was broke and nobody came to see the shows (a friend did turn up to one...but left at the interval. He was the only memebr of the audience). I managed to get training credit through the DSS and re-trained as a dramatherapist which I have been working as for 32 years. Sheesh!
I joined Nuts in 2012 for it's first production, Insidious Baggage and have remianed involved since. What I like about Nuts is the integrity of the project. That as a company, a good bunch of people, we put leanring and teaching above everything, and over the years have formed strong and enjoybale relationships with: Herts Uni, Roehampton Uni, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Anglia Ruskin Univerosty. We perform and workshop with whomever will have us, and we are due in the coming year to become a charity. We remain the only theatre company within the NHS. Dead proud of that.

DANIEl
i am a proud dad of 3 teenagers and 3 cats, who are my world and reason for being.
i worked in the construction industry after leaving school until the pandemic where my mental health struggles got more severe and led me to drama therapy. i found a love for acting which led me to become a part of may contain nuts theatre company which is evrything to me and has changed/saved my life.
i have a huge passion for music, i have always loved everything drama and art. i am a self taught acoustic guitar and ukulele player. Amy winehouse, elvis presley, whitney, adele, oasis and the beatles are some of my favourite artists. michelle pfeiffer, al pacino, ray winston, kathy burke are some of my fAVOURITE ACTORS.
I'M OBSESSED WITH THE NUMBER 22, IT'S THE DAY MY NAN DIED AND THE NUMBER FOLLOWED ME PRIOR TO HER DEATH AND EVER SINCE; I NOW HAVE 22 Tattooed on my leg.
my favourite movies are 'scarface' and 'grease'. my favourite colour is green, i love wearing black, my nan always said pink suits me.
a perfect day for me is walking the streets of london, even in the rain.

EMMA
My name is Emma and I am a woman in my mid 40s living in Hertfordshire. I have been a member of May Contain Nuts since November 2024- just over a year. Taking a deep breath and walking into the rehearsal space for the first time, was the best decision I have made in 10 years. Having loved drama at school I serendipitously have now have found my way back to it following a 12 week drama therapy programme. In my view there is still so much stigma and lack of understanding surrounding mental illness and I feel honoured to be able to have any part in changing this.
As well as acting, I love meditation, wearing bright colours, reading, learning new languages and watching and studying films. My favourite film is It’s a Wonderful Life. I take my inspiration from nature where I love to go for walks or observe wildlife. I have one beautiful senior cat who is my harshest critic!

jocelyn
As a child, when I heard the question, “ what do you want to be when you grow up?”, my head spun. I wanted to be a lawyer, doctor, teacher, scientist, writer, the list goes on. It wasn't until I got to secondary school that I realised I wanted to ‘ play ‘ these things; I wanted to be an actor.
My drama teacher, Mrs Robert’s, facilitated many opportunities for me including an audition for the Youth National Theatre, I got in, didn't take it up; a YTS as a light technician for the National Theatre, I got in, didn't take it up! After leaving FE college I became a dance and drama student, I dropped out. Fast forward a couple of decades I joined Nuts. Having previously worked in mental health, after having my own issues, what we do combines many aspects of my previous experiences, with added value!
Being able to use drama as a tool to assist and inform students is the icing on the cake and the cherry and the sprinkles. Yes, I love performing, however, knowing we making a difference and a valuable contribution to students, fills me with pride and joy.

KERRY
as one of the founding members of the company i have watched us transform from a small group of ex-drama therapy service users to a diverse group of passionate and talented individuals who are genuinely making a difference.
having no previous acting experience, save for one school production, age 12, which i hated, i now love the process of creating characters using my own experience of mental ill health as inspiration.
I am a creative person at heart, I love to draw, create collages and scrapbooking. my 'escape' is music and i like it loud! if you are ever in a car with me you will be subjected to me 'singing' along to indie and rock tracks. I LOVE TRUE CRIME PODCASTS AND DOCUMENTARIES AND I HAVE A FASCINATION WITH THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF VICTORIAN LONDON, ESPECIALLY THE EAST END WHICH IS WHERE i WAS BORN. downtime is spent with my family, I have 2 grown up sons who are my world and i'm going to be a grandma any day now! I have 2 cats.called George and Lily and 2 tortoises called ronnie and reggie who are surprisingly entertaining!
I am enormously proud of this company and never underestimate the difference being a part of it makes to my sense of self. i can't imagine my life without it.

liz
performing started fairly early for me. at 7 i joined the church choir. we sang in the church and also as backing and chorus for plays. jonah man jazz memorable - "nineveh city was a city of sin
the jazzin' and the jivin' made a terrible din".(it was a 60's thing!)
the role of narrator was mine for school plays - although i was once a princess. singign through my teenage years kept me on the fringes of the acting world but never actually on stage.
fast forward to 2012 when nuts waas formed. no mucking around - straight in and start acting. most importantly, there is no script and the work is a collaborative and organic experience.
i am very proud to belong to such a unique, inclusive and non-judgemental company.
we absolutely rock ! (no jazzin' or jivin' here - yet)

lyanne
If you'd have told me back in 2012 that I would have helped create and still be part of this wonderfully fabulous theatre company, I would have laughed at you......in my head. In reality I probably would have been sat looking at the floor, silently hoping that you would go away and stop saying clearly ridiculous things to me. Yet here I am, writing this bio, and trying to find ways to express all the tears, frustrations, creations, triumphs, growths, laughs, and most importantly some of the most beautiful memories I have made with some of the most wonderfully talented people I could have met and be fortunate enough to call my friends. Being to talk about my experiences with mental health and help to train the latest generations of Nurses/Paramedics/Psychiatrists to feel comfortable with communicating with people living with mental health problems and generally performing with May Contain Nuts has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever been blessed to be a part of, long may it continue.

SKYE
Hi, I’m Skye. I’ve been part of May Contain Nuts since August, and it’s been amazing. I love how the company tackles mental health in ways that feel real and relatable. Drama is my happy place—I can’t help but get lost in a character. I’m a bit of an art nerd and love drawing and creating whenever I can. The gym keeps me active, but honestly, I also use it as an excuse to listen to music loudly. Helping others and being there for my friends is super important to me. I like planning things out, but I secretly love those “let’s just see what happens” moments too. Everyday life, music, and books give me endless inspiration for my work. Performing makes me feel alive, even if I occasionally trip over my own feet. I’m always curious, creative, and ready to try something new. I’m so excited to keep growing with this brilliant drama family and see what stories we can bring to life next.