Digital programme: Passion Fruit

Troy Alexander (he/him)
Performer
Troy Alexander was recently seen on stage in Slave Play and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, both in the West End and The Visit at the National Theatre. Work on screen includes Extraordinary series 1, Feel Good series 2 and The Lair.

Selina Armoudon (she/her)
Performer
Selina Armoudon is an actress, writer and producer who believes in the power of storytelling to foster change. As an actress, her work in theatre includes: Trauma Bondage at the Bread & Roses; The Comedian and the Pianist and Collaboration at The Pleasance and An audience with for Actors East. She has also appeared in commercials campaigns for national television.

Ashley Byam (he/they)
Performer
Ashley Byam trained at the Oxford School of Drama. Recent work in theatre includes Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare’s Globe and Fourplay at the Above the Stage Theatre.

TV includes series regular Finlay Baker in EastEnders, Death in Paradise and Giri / Haji. Films include the award-winning short, Lessons (winning Best Actor at the Hidden Film Festival), The Legend of Tarzan, Legend and the German short film, Different Bayern.

Dior Clarke (he/him)
Co-writer and performer
Dior Clarke is a British-born Jamaican, born and bred to a family of four in North London.

After graduating from secondary school he trained at the London School of Dramatic Arts, the National Youth Theatre and finally the Academy of Live Recorded Arts. The desire to be a vessel for underrepresented Black LGBTQ+, Black and working class voices propelled him to craft a successful career in the arts world as an actor, writer, director and producer.

In 2018 Dior Clarke wrote, directed and acted the lead in Batty Boy, a Sky Arts production. Wanting to continue putting such stories on mainstream platforms led him to his most recent stage play, Passion Fruit, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy-drama which debuted at the New Diorama Theatre in 2022. The critically acclaimed sold-out run earned five Black British Award nominations, among others. 

Dior's current work includes appearances in a TV pilot episode, The Prince (in the role of Prince), produced by his production company Loquaciously Unfiltered; and in This Love Isn't Taught, a film produced by Euras Films. The stage version is currently in development at Cambridge Junction.

Steph Martin (she/her)
Co-writer
Steph Martin read English and Drama at the University of Birmingham. Her debut play, Joy, directed by Melanie Fullbrook was staged at Theatre Royal Stratford East Studio in 2017 and is currently in development as a feature film with the BFI, titled Girl Almighty. Plays include Alkaline, directed by Sarah Meadows at Park Theatre; Juniper and Jules, directed by Bethany Pitts at Theatre503 and VAULT Festival (awarded Show of the Week), before transferring to Soho Theatre and a revival production at the Pleasance, Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Bathsheba, a short play directed by Robin Norton-Hale at Shakespeare’s Globe; Passion Fruit, co-written with Dior Clarke and directed by Melina Namdar at the New Diorama, and by Rikki Beadle-Blair at the Barbican Centre and Cambridge Junction; Thirsty, directed by Scott le Crass at VAULT (nominated for the People’s Choice award); Fury and Elysium, directed by Karoline Gable and Rafaella Marcus at The Other Palace Studio; and Did You Mean To Fall Like That?, directed by Scott le Crass at Seven Dials Playhouse and Pleasance Edinburgh.

Rikki Beadle-Blair
Director
Rikki Beadle-Blair MBE is a writer, director, composer, choreographer, designer, producer and performer. He has won several awards including the Sony Award, the Los Angeles Outfest Screenwriting and Outstanding Achievement awards. Every year he hosts UK Black Pride, Manchester Black Pride, plus annual Vogue balls in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Leeds and other cities around the UK. In 2016 he was made an MBE (Member of the British Empire) by HRH Queen Elizabeth and King Charles for contributions to drama and an honorary doctor of letters from the University of Warwick. His projects include several feature films and TV series, including Blackbird featuring Oscar-winning actress, Mo’nique; Stonewall, Metrosexuality and Noah’s Arc, as well as FIT, KickOff and Bashment for his own company Team Angelica. He is one of the creative directors of the Visionary Youth Project for young Queer European film activists. Rikki Beadle-Blair also works extensively in theatre and has written 40 plays in the last 20 years that have been performed at Theatre Royal Stratford East, the Bush Theatre, the Soho Theatre, the Tristan Bates Theatre and the Contact Theatre in Manchester. Rikki is a committed mentor to many writers, actors, composers and directors.

Kane Husbands (he/him)
Movement Director 
Kane is the Artistic Director and founder of the award-winning performance company, The PappyShow. He is the course leader of the BA (Hons) Performance: Design and Practice at Central Saint Martins University of the Arts London and is on the boards of Wise Children and London International Mime Festival. He trained at Rose Bruford College and became a Fellow in 2023 for his ‘outstanding contribution to theatre, inclusion and social change’. 

The PappyShow is a diverse and inclusive company committed to expanding the identity conversation and creating transformative joyful experiences with a practice that uses the body and voice to tell our own autobiography. The Associate company for New Diorama Theatre, National Youth Theatre, Squint Theatre and The North Wall, The PappyShow’s work includes ten year-anniversary show at the Barbican; Shut Up, I’m Dreaming on tour with the National Theatre; Boys for VAULT Festival, the New Diorama Theatre, The Old Market Brighton, The North Wall, Latitude Festival and Southbank Centre; GIRLS at VAULT Festival, The Old Market, Latitude Festival, the Lyric Hammersmith, The North Wall and the New Diorama; CARE at VAULTS and Latitude festivals; What do you See? for the International Mime Festival, Shoreditch Town Hall and The Old Courts, Wigan; The Pappy Cabaret Show at BAC; Pit Party for Joy at the Barbican; Shine Black at the Bush and New Diorama; and Short Big Show for Hope at Somerset House. 

His work has toured the UK, China, the Middle East and Europe. As Movement Director and Choreographer: Animal Farm at Leeds Playhouse, Stratford Theatre Royal, Nottingham Playhouse, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award; Clydes at the Donmar; House of Ife at the Bush; Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National Theatre; The Last King of Scotland at Sheffield Crucible; Rocket Post for National Theatre Scotland; London 2012 Olympics Team Welcoming Ceremonies; London 2012 Paralympic Team Welcoming Ceremonies and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Team Welcoming Ceremonies. 

Films: BOY, FLY for The Pappyshow; Monuments for the Donmar; BOYS (short film) for The PappyShow; and Mango.

Kayode Gomez (she/they)
Sound Designer
Kayode Gomez’ work as a sound designer spans exhibitions, audio plays, radio production, scoring/audio editing for short films, and live theatre. She particularly enjoys working with communities close to her, namely Black, queer and gender marginalised communities. Previous credits include Decolonising the Archive Live Radio, Galatea, Rift, VITORIA: Buraco and Scooters, Shooters & Shottas. She also teaches in secondary schools under Create Define Release's Music Producer's Club, and is an aspiring playwright.

Rori Endersby (they/them)
Lighting Designer and Production Manager 
Rori Endersby is a trans and neurodivergent theatre-maker. They have a background in technical theatre and stage management which informs their creative work. Work as a lighting designer includes The Boy (Fake Escape) at Soho Theatre; Breathe for Half A String on UK tour; and It’s Always Sunny in Dundee for Golden Goose Theatre. Directing includes The Snowsmith for Half a String on UK tour; and Croc in a Hard Place at the Baron’s Court Theatre.

Chuck SJ (they/them)
Deputy Stage Manager 
Chuck SJ is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on music and words as a tool to explore and express around social political issues, specifically on trans rights. Their creative output jumps between musical composition, sound and light design, spoken word, writing sci-fi short stories and drag/cabaret. They have worked on five European tours, 12 UK tours, 15 albums and two EPs. In 2020, they had words published in the Creating In Crisis anthology by Polari Press. In 2021, they received Arts Council funding to self-produce a 17-track album titled Resist Recharge Revolt written in a cabin in the woods during the pandemic. They are the producer of BYENARY events, an events organisation that platforms trans and / or non-binary musicians. Chuck SJ is currently writing a punk musical titled Eat Your Heart Out, as well as working on another album due for release in 2025. In 2023 Chuck SJ was Technical Stage Manager for Dual by Peyvand Sadeghian and The Monster Show by Hester-Stefan Chillingworth, and in 2024 created the sound design for Always Been Here by E M Williams and Henri T and Wondertwunk by lachlan Werner. They worked with Evie and Mind Out Theatre on the composition for the musical The Centre.