Julian Bleach

Last updated

Julian Bleach
Born (1963-12-29) 29 December 1963 (age 60)
Bournemouth, England
NationalityEnglish
Alma mater London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Actor, singer, playwright
Years active1990–present

Julian Bleach (born 29 December 1963) [1] is an English actor, singer and playwright, who is known as co-creator and "MC" of Shockheaded Peter , a musical entertainment based on the works of Heinrich Hoffmann, [2] which won the 2002 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. [3] He is also known for playing Davros in the 2005 revival of Doctor Who (in 2008, 2015, and 2023).

Contents

Early life

Bleach was born in Bournemouth. He was educated at Summerbee School and studied drama at Bournemouth and Poole College. After that he trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. [4]

Career

Bleach's other theatre work includes playing Ariel to Patrick Stewart's Prospero in the RSC's 2007 production of The Tempest , [5] directed by Rupert Goold, and Mr. Sowerberry (to Louise Gold's Mrs. Sowerberry) and Dr. Grimwig in the 2009 Theatre Royal Drury Lane production of the musical Oliver!.

On television, he has starred as "The Monster" in the 2007 ITV adaptation of Frankenstein . [6] He played the Grand Master from the second series of children's drama M.I.High and guest-starred as the villainous "Ghostmaker" in Peter J. Hammond's "From Out of the Rain" in the second series of Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood . [4] Bleach was later cast by the parent series as Davros, enemy of The Doctor and creator of the Daleks, in "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End", the two-part season finale of the 2008 series, [7] and live at the Doctor Who Prom, [8] before returning to the role in the 2015 series opener, "The Magician's Apprentice", and its conclusion, "The Witch's Familiar". In 2010, it was announced that he would star as the eponymous character in The Nightmare Man , the opening story of Series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures . This makes him one of only two actors (the other being Paul Marc Davis) to appear in not only Doctor Who, but two of its spin-offs, Torchwood and The Sarah-Jane Adventures. In 2011, he appeared as Niccolò Machiavelli in the Showtime series The Borgias .

In 2016 Bleach appeared as Barkilphedro in the critically acclaimed new musical The Grinning Man at Bristol Old Vic which transferred in late 2017 to Trafalgar Studios. In the same year he also appeared in Rory Mullarkey's new play Saint George and the Dragon at the Royal National Theatre.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990 The Fool
1994Beg!Dr. Rogers
1999 Topsy-Turvy Mr. Plank
2002Ghost ChildLeo
2005 The Brothers Grimm Letorc
2006 The Fall Mystic/Elderly Patient
2008 Lecture 21 Aristocrat
2009BadinageFranklin Gothic
2011 Anonymous Sir Richard Pole
2012Lord Horror: The Dark and Silver AgeLord Horror
Les Misérables Claquesous
2013The Fallen WordFranklin Gothic
2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron Ballet Instructor
MindGamers Preacher
Remainder Pianist
Word Made Flesh: Sir Peter BlakeMad HatterShort film
2016MotherCrematorium TechnicianShort film
Suicide NoteThe ManShort film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002The GistDavid LuscombeTV movie
2005Riot at the RiteViolinistTV movie
2007 The Afternoon Play StefanEpisode: "Come Fly With Me"
Frankenstein The Monster TV movie
2008–13 M.I. High The Grand Master
2008 Torchwood The GhostmakerEpisode: "From Out of the Rain"
2008, 2015, 2023 Doctor Who Davros 4 episodes, 1 mini episode
2008 Criminal Justice GaolerSeries 1, Episode 3
2009 Doctor Who at the Proms Davros
2010 The Sarah Jane Adventures The Nightmare ManSerial: The Nightmare Man
Psychoville Doctor/EddieEpisode: "Halloween Special"
2011–13 The Borgias Niccolò Machiavelli
2012 Ripper Street Cecil CreightonEpisode: "I Need Light"
2014 This is Jinsy UndertakerEpisode: "Population 791"
2016 Close to the Enemy Geoffrey SalterTV miniseries
2017 Emerald City Roquat 4 episodes
2019 Heirs of the Night Dracula
2022 Halo Mercy x episodes
2022 The English Jerome McClintock2 episodes

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2015 Lego Dimensions DavrosUncredited

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1992 Macbeth Macbeth Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
1993 Dracula Count Dracula London Bubble Theatre Company
1995 Gormenghast Flay/BarquentineDavid Glass New Mime Ensemble
1996 The Government Inspector Zemlyanika Leeds Playhouse
1997 A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck English Shakespeare Company
1998–05 Shockheaded Peter Shockheaded Peter
2002 Cabaret Emcee Chichester Festival Theatre
2003 The Firework-Maker's Daughter Hamlet the Elephant Crucible Theatre
2005 The Importance of Being Earnest Lane/Merriman Oxford Playhouse
2006 Antony and Cleopatra Clown/Alexas Royal Shakespeare Company
2006 The Tempest Ariel Royal Shakespeare Company
2008–09 Oliver! Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
2010 Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Ivanov Royal National Theatre
2016–18 The Grinning Man Barkilphedro Bristol Old Vic/Trafalgar Studios
2016Raising MarthaRoger Duffy Park Theatre
2017 Saint George and the Dragon The Dragon Royal National Theatre
2022 Into the Woods The Mysterious Man Theatre Royal, Bath

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davros</span> Fictional character from Doctor Who; antagonist

Davros is a fictional character from the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He was created by screenwriter Terry Nation, originally for the 1975 serial Genesis of the Daleks. Davros is a major enemy of the series' protagonist, the Doctor, and is the creator of the Doctor's deadliest enemies, the Daleks. Davros is a genius who has mastered many areas of science, but also a megalomaniac who believes that through his creations he can become the supreme being and ruler of the Universe. The character has been compared to the infamous dictator Adolf Hitler several times, including by the actor Terry Molloy, while Julian Bleach defined him as a cross between Hitler and the renowned scientist Stephen Hawking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dalek</span> Fictional alien race featured in the Doctor Who universe

The Daleks are a fictional extraterrestrial race of extremely xenophobic mutants principally portrayed in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who. They were conceived by writer Terry Nation and first appeared in the 1963 Doctor Who serial The Daleks, in casings designed by Raymond Cusick.

<i>Oliver!</i> English musical by Lionel Bart

Oliver! is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

Genesis of the Daleks is the fourth serial of the twelfth season of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was written by Terry Nation and directed by David Maloney, and originally broadcast in six weekly parts from 8 March to 12 April 1975 on BBC1.

Robert Christopher Nankeville, known professionally as Bobby Davro, is an English actor and comedian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheridan Smith</span> English actress and singer

Sheridan Smith OBE is an English actress, singer, and television personality. Smith came to prominence after playing a variety of characters on sitcoms such as The Royle Family (1999–2000), Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps (2001–2009), Gavin & Stacey (2008–2010), and Benidorm (2009). She co-starred as Joey Ross in the drama series Jonathan Creek between 2009 and 2013, and went on to receive acclaim for starring in a succession of television dramas, such as Mrs Biggs (2012), Cilla (2014), The C Word (2015), Black Work (2015), The Moorside (2017), Cleaning Up (2019), and Four Lives (2022). Her film credits include Tower Block (2012), Quartet (2012), The Huntsman: Winter's War (2016), and The Railway Children Return (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Barrowman</span> Scottish-American actor, author, and singer (born 1967)

John Scot Barrowman is a Scottish-American actor, author, presenter, singer and comic book writer. He is known for his roles as Captain Jack Harkness in Doctor Who and spin-off Torchwood, (2006–11) and as Malcolm Merlyn in the Arrowverse (2012–19).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indira Varma</span> British actress and narrator

Indira Anne Varma is a British actress and narrator. Her film debut and first major role was in Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. She is known for her television roles, such as playing Niobe in the BBC and HBO series Rome (2005-07), Suzie Costello in the BBC series Torchwood (2006), Zoe Luther in the BBC series Luther (2010), Ilsa Pucci in Human Target (2010-11), and Ellaria Sand in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2014-17). In September 2016 she began starring in the ITV/Netflix series Paranoid as DS Nina Suresh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barney Harwood</span> British actor and television presenter

Barnaby John "Barney" Harwood is a British actor and television presenter. He is known for his work with CBBC beginning in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murray Gold</span> British composer

Murray Jonathan Gold is an English composer for stage, film, and television and a dramatist for both theatre and radio. He is best known as the musical director and composer of the music for Doctor Who from its revival in 2005 until 2017. In 2023, he was announced to be returning to the series. Gold's other television work includes Queer as Folk, Last Tango in Halifax and Gentleman Jack. He has been nominated for five BAFTAs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freema Agyeman</span> English actress (born 1979)

Freema Agyeman is an English actress. She rose to fame with her role as the Doctor's companion Martha Jones in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who (2007–2010) and its spin-off Torchwood (2008), and received further recognition for playing Crown Prosecutor Alesha Phillips in the ITV crime procedural Law & Order: UK (2009–2012), Amanita Caplan in the Netflix science fiction drama Sense8 (2015–2018) and Dr. Helen Sharpe in the NBC medical drama New Amsterdam (2018–2023).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">From Out of the Rain</span> 2008 Torchwood episode

"From Out of the Rain" is the tenth episode of the second series of the British science fiction television series Torchwood. It was broadcast on BBC Three on 12 March 2008, and repeated on BBC Two one week later. In the episode, the Ghostmaker, the leader of a travelling show, breaks out of the celluloid film he is trapped inside, and steals the last breaths of nearby residents in Cardiff to use as his audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Stolen Earth</span> 2008 Doctor Who episode

"The Stolen Earth" is the twelfth episode of the fourth series and the 750th overall episode of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 28 June 2008. The episode was written by show runner and head writer Russell T Davies and is the first of a two-part crossover story with spin-offs Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures; the concluding episode is "Journey's End", the finale of the fourth series, broadcast on 5 July.

<i>Doctor Who</i> Prom (2008) 2008 Doctor Who

Prom 13: Doctor Who Prom was a concert showcasing incidental music from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, along with classical music, performed on 27 July 2008 in the Royal Albert Hall in London as part of the BBC's annual Proms series of concerts. The Doctor Who Prom was the thirteenth concert in the 2008 Proms season, and was intended to introduce young children to the Proms.

<i>Shockheaded Peter</i> (musical) Musical based on a German childrens book

Shockheaded Peter is a 1998 musical using the popular German children's book Struwwelpeter (1845) by Heinrich Hoffmann as its basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hannah Waddingham</span> British actress and television presenter (born 1974)

Hannah Waddingham is a British actress, singer and television presenter. She is known for playing businessperson Rebecca Welton in the comedy series Ted Lasso (2020–2023), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021 and the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2021 and 2022. She has also appeared in a number of West End shows, including Spamalot, the 2010 Regent's Park revival of Into the Woods, and The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West, and has received three Olivier Award nominations for her work.

Cush Jumbo is a British actress and writer. She is best known for her leading role as attorney Lucca Quinn in the CBS drama series The Good Wife (2015–2016) and the Paramount Plus spin-off series The Good Fight (2017–2021) and most recently June Lenker in the Apple series Criminal Record (2024).

The Trial of Davros is a theatrical production featuring characters from the long-running British BBC science fiction television programme Doctor Who. It was written by Kevin Taylor and Michael Wisher for Hyde Fundraisers, a group of science fiction fans who make and appear in replica costumes from TV series and films such as Doctor Who and Star Wars to raise funds for various charities. The play was performed twice; in 1993 and 2005. The second production was performed with the agreement and backing of both the BBC and the estate of screenwriter Terry Nation, the creator of the Davros character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Sowerberry</span> Fictional character in a novel Oliver Twist By Charles Dickens

Mr Sowerberry is a fictional character who appears as a supporting antagonist in Charles Dickens' 1838 novel Oliver Twist. He is an undertaker and coffin maker who owns and operates a small dark shop in a small town some 75 mi (121 km) from London. This shop also serves as a dwelling for himself, his wife, a maidservant named Charlotte, an assistant named Noah Claypole, and, for a short period, as an apprentice, the protagonist of the novel, a young boy named Oliver Twist who has been "purchased" from the local parish workhouse.

The Magicians Apprentice (<i>Doctor Who</i>) 2015 Doctor Who episode

"The Magician's Apprentice" is the first episode of the ninth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One on 19 September 2015. The episode was written by showrunner Steven Moffat and directed by Hettie MacDonald. It is the first of a two-part story; the second part, "The Witch's Familiar", aired on 26 September.

References

  1. Swain, Richard (29 December 2016). "Happy Birthday to Who? – 29th December: Bernard Cribbins & Julian Bleach". Blogtor Who. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  2. Brantley, Ben (23 February 2005). "Nasty Surprises for Bad Children (and Grown-Ups, Too)". The New York Times . Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  3. Gans, Andrew (4 November 2004). "Olivier-Winning Shockheaded Peter to Play-off-Broadway's Little Shubert Theatre". Playbill . Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  4. 1 2 John, Timothy (23 October 2007). "I'm so proud of my 'monstrous' son!". Dorset Echo . Newsquest Media Group . Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  5. Spencer, Charles (2 March 2007). "Beamed to a better ship". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on 11 March 2007. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  6. Fitzsimmons, Caitlin (25 October 2007). "Titchmarsh scares off Frankenstein". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 12 March 2008.
  7. Clout, Laura (17 June 2008). "Dr Who's enemy Davros to make a comeback". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  8. Rawson-Jones, Ben (28 July 2008). "'Doctor Who' and Davros take over Proms". Digital Spy . Retrieved 29 July 2008.