I’m really chuffed to reveal the super-talented cast for Fleecehold.
If I’ve not already bored you senseless with the play, it’s a dark political comedy about the three amazing women who set up the National Leasehold Campaign (NLC) after they were mis-sold their homes as leasehold and went on to battle against developers, freeholders and the Government to push for reform.
Katie Kendrick, the founder of the NLC, is being played by Lucille Ferguson who has starred in films Dan Hawk Psychic Detective and Idle Hands (as well as the classics The Beast of Romney Marsh and The Biscuit Poltergeist!). Lucy has practically achieved sainthood status in Folkestone for playing Mother Christmas at the hugely popular Folkestone Advent Calendar every year and has many stage credits to her name.
Cath Burton plays the second founding member Cath Williams and coincidentally has an actor brother who used to be in Coronation Street as did the ‘real’ Cath (Nigel Kennedy). Cath is currently a drummer for the awesome and hugely popular Pretty Crap, a recently formed female band and first tried acting in her home town of Harrogate at a youth theatre workshop. Like many of us, Cath has had many careers, including running a very popular bar where she promoted live music with her partner and after attending a series of workshops recently, her passion for the stage was rekindled.
Meanwhile, the multi-talented Sasha Ravenscroft is playing third founding member Jo Darbyshire. Sasha is an artist, writer, actor and musician - she’s been in various punk bands as a drummer - and studied drama at City and Islington, later running her own puppetry company called BlueWolf. Stage credits include Mary Magdalene in The Passion Play, First Witch in Macbeth, Elvira Condomine in Blithe Spirit and Liz Morden in Our Country's Good. Sasha has also appeared as various dodgy characters in The Beast of Romney Marsh and The Biscuit Poltergeist.
We’re extremely lucky to have three very funny and very experienced theatre actors as our supporting cast.
Matthew Weyland plays several characters including the ghost of the evil Lord Asset-Class and various developers and salesmen. Theatre work includes Emmeline (Cockpit Theatre/London & UK tour), Witness For The Prosecution (London County Hall), For The Sake of Argument (Bridewell Theatre/London), Delorean (Assembly Rooms/Edinburgh Festival), Dr Blighty (Brighton Festival), The Crucible (Old Vic/London), Passion Play (Duke of York's/West End), Dandy Dick (Theatre Royal, Brighton & UK tour) and Porridge (UK tour). TV work includes Not Going Out (BBC), Detectorists (BBC), The Ipcress File (ITV), Suspicion (Apple TV+), This England (Sky Atlantic), Call The Midwife (BBC), Eastenders (BBC) and Miranda (BBC).
Philip Honeywell plays the ghost of Richard Fitzgilbert, the half brother of William the Conquerer as well as Louie Burns, the leasehold reform legend who inspired Katie, Cath and Jo to keep pushing for change. Theatre credits include Twelfth Night (Malvolio, ELSF), Much Ado About Nothing (Claudio / Dogberry, National Tours) Karaoke Play (Darren, Bunker Theatre), A Clockwork Orange (Park Theatre, Soho Theatre, International Tour), Animal Farm (Boxer/Pilkington), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Henry Wotton), Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (Jekyll & Hyde), The Importance of Being Earnest (Algernon, all Italian Tours) and many more. TV includes Eastenders’(BBC), and Inner Workings (Peter Greenhall Productions).
Last, but by no means least, is Rowland Hill who plays the ghost of 19th century leasehold reformer Henry Broadhurst and modern day leasehold reformer Sebastian O’Kelly and other roles. Originally from Birmingham, Rowland trained at Hull University and East 15 Acting School and has been a successful theatre director (Artistic Director, Theatre Station Blyth and Associate Director, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham) and writer. He’s currently rehearsing his own play, Draining the Swamp, for Edinburgh Festival and national touring, in which he plays Sir Oswald Mosley. Recent film credits include Murder Ballads, Bona Vacantia, The Fisherman and Disordered. TV credits include Autopsy, Sky Crime and Friday Night Breakfast Show.
Last year, Rowland had a lead role in two successful music videos for Welshy and L’Objectif. Watch them if you can! They are very funny, especially the Welshy one.
Fleecehold is on at The Green Room, Folkestone, on July 7 & 8 and you can get tickets here and then at the Little Angel Theatre, Islington, from August 11 to 13 as part of the Camden Fringe. Tickets are available here.
Thank you for reading!