Round The Table
Effemera Theatre Company is now registered with the ITC (Independent Theatre Council) who are assisting with the process of becoming a Community Interest Company with charitable status. Five wonderful Trustees have come on board to oversee this process.
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The Trustees
Sheila Bryans
Trained at the Arts Educational School, Tring, Herts (now known as Tring Park School for the Performing Arts), Sheila was in the entertainment industry for 15 years as an actress and producer – London and Edinburgh Fringe, UK-wide tours, West End, BBC Radio and TV. She also has a backgound in the decorative and fine arts (Diploma, BA & MA Hons) and has taught and organised visits to London galleries and museums. Although not acting in the lively arts, Sheila still maintains a keen interest in Theatre, Theatre History and Film History. She is bilingual Italian/English and pursues an interest in European History too.
Dana Pinto
Beyond her professional endeavours, Dana is pivotal in a performing arts charity based in south London. As Vice Chair (soon to be Chair), she dedicates her efforts to supporting young individuals aged 11-24. The work involves combatting hate crime, preventing online grooming, and assisting young women affected by violence. Over her twelve-year tenure with the charity, the charity has acquired significant recognition, including the Metropolitan Police Service Commendation, the Mayor of London Peace Award, The Queen’s Award, and also received a special designation award from the Queen for the charity’s impactful contributions during the pandemic.
Kate Hampshire
Kate has reinvented herself a few times over the years. After many years working in TV documentary production, she paused to put her efforts into her best production yet - her children. A quick retrain in horticulture, led to a spell as a gardener. Kate’s final reinvention as a primary teacher combines well with her love of singing, as the school corridors have great acoustics. She sings alto with the BBC Symphony Chorus, The Hill Singers and The Academy Choir, Wimbledon.
Pauline Sagoe
“I was reading stories from Shakespeare from the age of six. The one I read over and over again, ‘A Winter’s Tale’, supported and encouraged me: like the lost princess, I was waiting to be found, to achieve my identity, and have a place in the world. My work as a psychotherapist and independent mediator, has continued this: encouraging and facilitating others to know and accept all aspects of themselves, to respect and support others, and to never stop learning.” Pauline is a participant in the Company Course at The Rose Theatre, Kingston.
Christine James
Christine first realised her interest in performance when she achieved her Brownie ‘Jester’s’ badge for singing, dancing reciting and performing at the age of 8.
After gaining a degree in English and Drama at Greenwich University, she trained as a drama teacher at Bulmershe College (Reading University) and taught at a comprehensive school in Sussex. She has a Diploma in Film Studies from Birkbeck College (London University) and wishing to pursue a more arts-based career, she moved to the British Film Institute (BFI) where she worked as an advisor in film and media studies, trained teachers, wrote and produced teaching materials, organised and participated in conferences; latterly working as a programmer for education events at BFI Southbank.
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Christine maintains her keen interest in drama through her participation in Rose Theatre Company and has a particular interest in film, TV and book adaptations - especially productions which give voice to and explore the female experience.
Leigh Shine
While working for many years as a staff member of the BBC, on various programmes, as Film Editor, Assistant Producer & Director, Leigh set up and ran THE MAN IN THE MOON Theatre in King’s Road, Chelsea. As the venue’s Creative Director, during its twenty years of existence, he commissioned & produced numerous shows. Most notably, these included opening the venue in 1982 with John Godber’s first professional, directorial production, with his adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, the UK professional premiere of Miguel Pinero’s SHORT EYES, which had previously won an Obie, and New York Critics’ Circle Award; a subsequent revival transferred to the Young Vic. Further successes included the first ever revival of Howard Brenton’s THE ROMANS IN BRITAIN and co-producing an OFF-OFF BROADWAY production of OUR OWN RED BLOOD by Cecil Jenkins, following its run at TMITMT. He also directed the first London revival in thirty five years, of BILLY LIAR, by Keith Waterhouse & Willis Hall, and hosted the visit of the World Premiere production of Lanford Wilson’s A BETROTHAL, which starred Ben Kingsley and Geraldine James.
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He was also a guest Tutor at the ACADEMY DRAMA SCHOOL, Whitechapel, & The International School of Screen Acting (ISSA) at Three mills Studios, Stratford.
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Since TMITMT closed in 2002, when the building was redeveloped, Leigh has relocated to Hastings, where he is currently pursuing the possibilities of creating a pop-up theatre.
