- Jen McGregor (Artistic Director)
- Jen McGregor trained as a director at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London before returning to her beloved Edinburgh to concentrate on running Tightlaced. Previous productions include Romeo and Juliet (Kent’s Cavern), Miss Julie (Cockpit Theatre), Dead Dad Dog (Karamel Club) and Dangerous Corner (Brentwood Theatre). Her work as a writer includes Winners Wear Crowns (Out of the Blue), The Special Thing (Traverse, Words Words Words), Siren (Edinburgh Art Festival) and Brodie’s Will (Moon Cottage). She is currently being mentored by Caroline Dunford via Siege Perilous‘ Playwright Development Programme. Jen is proud to be an Associate Director for Butterfly.
Robert Howat, Resident Writer
- An actor and storyteller with TV, film and corporate entertainment credits, Robert has also successfully staged his own productions aimed at families. Tightlaced productions include Charlie & My ’45 and his fun family series Feline Fables. Robert recently finished editing his short film Executive Killing, produced by Raw Talent Productions, and has enjoyed success in the Edinburgh Festival, and in London, with Team M&M’s satirical comedy The Pantry Shelf.
Fiona McDonald, Resident Writer
- Fiona McDonald wrote and performed her first play at the age of nine – a six minute masterpiece in which an alien lands in a nine-year-old girl’s garden and steals her sweets. Since then, her plays have become considerably longer, but have retained the same darkly comic elements. Her first venture with Tightlaced was a rehearsed reading and later semi-staged performance of The Jumblies, based on the poems of Edward Lear and directed by Flavia D’Avila She has also written a short piece for a young English class in Brazil and a futuristic romance, performed as part of Sealed With A Loving Kiss, a Valentines Day Cabaret directed by Fiona Urquhart, which she also compèred. Fiona is currently working on I Promise I Shall Not Play Billiards, a play about the infamous Madeleine Smith – the first Tightlaced commission.
Rob David, Resident Writer
- Having been raised among the ‘sleepy but sinister spires’ of the city of Norwich, Rob David channels his nervous energy into writing and acting. He graduated from QMU’s Drama & Theatre Arts programme in 2009, and has remained in Edinburgh. Rob’s first Tightlaced venture was a rehearsed reading of his adaptation of the Marquis de Sade’s Works of Fate, which he went on to direct and produce for the Fringe. This was followed by a production of The Dress Affair in 2010 and a reading of Johnson’s Choice in 2011.
Bev Wright, Logo Designer and Resident Poet
- Bev Wright’s first experience with Tightlaced Theatre was as an actor in the company’s first production The House Plant and she returned in the role of poet for the launch of her book Songs from the Heart and Elsewhere. When Bev is not acting or writing, she can be found singing with acclaimed Scottish band Hip Operation, who can be contacted at hipoperation.org. Bev’s own site is www.beverleywright.co.uk.
Danielle Farrow, Associate Artist
- An experienced stage performer whose credits also include screen and voice-over work, Danielle decided on acting after completing her first degree (MA, Edinburgh), gaining an NCDT accredited acting degree from MMU under Niamh Dowling. She also runs Discover Fine Acting, specialising in techniques for helping actors approach scripts (including learning lines) and in seducing people on behalf of the Bard – sometimes via critically acclaimed performances in Shakespeare plays! In addition, Danielle can be hired as an Acting Consultant, assisting directors in working with their actors and with the language of Shakespeare. She is proud to be associated with Tightlaced Theatre.
