The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company News

Meet some of the cast and crew for Jekyll & Hyde

4/9/2025

With an amazing cast and crew ranging from BAFTA winners to beginners, and a wonderful mixture of regular and returning faces, meet this incredible team !

Meet the awesome cast

Cameron Higgins - Dr Jekyll
Cameron has been a performer since the age of 14 and has recently graduated from Bath Spa University with a First
Class degree in Drama.

In recent years, his credits include various student short films as well as plays, ranging from black comedy to period drama.

This will be his first performance with the South Devon Players.

Fun fact:
Whilst at university, Cameron was also trained in puppetry, where he had to both create and perform using different puppets.

Stewart Mckenzie - Mr Hyde

After literally decades of procrastination, and in the midst of what is clearly a midlife crisis, Stewart L Mackenzie has finally decided to have a bash at professional acting. Having been lucky enough to have performed extensively in the South Devon area over the years with various local theatrical societies, and also professionally as part of the inaugural Totnes Fringe Festival, Stewart is now taking on the role of 'Mr Hyde' in his first performance with The South Devon Players.

Joan Smith - Inspector Newcomen

Acting since aged 8, Joan is a professional BAFTA winning actress and winner of a national social media award.
Joan is a triple threat performer and her credits include TV commercials, tv pilots, touring theatre productions, immersive entertainment, comedy dining, musicals, pantomimes, theatre in education, as well as commercial and general modelling.

Fun fact:
Joan has completed the Royal Marines Commando Challenge

Rich Sandford - Dr Lanyon

A long term member of SDP, Rich has been acting with SDP for 13 years, and is currently actor, co-director and fight choreographer for Jekyll and Hyde

Fun fact
Rich used to be a Pro Wrestler who started his wrestling days in the Backyard scene right here in Brixham many years before joining SDP

Emma Harpham - Poole
Brief bit of acting work:
- I've been an extra for a film, played a supporting role for a student short-film and been apart of the two previous SDP shows.

Fun fact about me:
- I'm somehow more accident prone now, compared to when I used to run towards lakes when I was a toddler. I also have a missing piece of ear cartilage in the same place where my cousin has an extra piece

Alex Slade - Samuel Sage
Hello, my name is Alex,
I made my acting debut at the age of 3 at dance festivals with my sister and progressed to pantomime by the age of 7.
I have have been working with the South Devon Players since 2018 and Jekyll & Hyde is my 10th production.
Fun fact: I am a 1st Dan Taekwondo black belt and my mum and I compete in around 10 national & international tournaments a year.

James Hoff - Mr Utterson
I made my professional acting debut in 2023 with The South Devon Players in Les Miserables the stage show as Marius Pontmercy. A few other credits include Malcolm in Macbeth, Flute, Thisbe and Mustardseed in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Athos in The Three Musketeers and I'm currently playing Mr Utterson in Jekyll and Hyde.
Fun Fact: I'm currently with a drama school doing online classes learning about the film and TV industry.

Bella Matthews - Georgie

Isabella Matthews (Bella), 20, is proud to have been part of Showdown Theatre Arts since the age of 4. The experience has shaped her confidence and creativity, inspiring her journey as she studies to become a Vet Nurse. Her Showdown credits include Grease, Beauty and the Beast, High School Musical, The Wiz, Fame, Bugsy Malone, The Wizard of Oz, The Addams Family, Bring It On, Footloose, Chicago, Matilda Jr, Aladdin, Listen to My Heart, Carrie, Annie, and Annie Jr. She’s also proud to be part of The South Devon Players Theatre and Film Company, having performed in Romeo and Juliet and now preparing for The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde. Both companies have given her amazing opportunities to grow, connect, and pursue her passion for theatre.

Chloe Warden - Lady Carew
Chloe is a recent graduate with a BA (Hons) in acting. A main skill she improved was multi-rolling which has became a key aspect of her studies. Recent credits include Alice in Wonderland, An Acceptable loss and Earthquakes in London. The actor is based in the South West however an interest in hers which comes in useful is travelling. When not on stage or screen, Chloe can be found in a coffee shop or exploring the world with friends and family. Fun Fact: Chloe is a cheerleader and horse rider.

Kai Botha - Mr Enfield
Kai started acting about five years ago in an am-dram group in uni and this will be his fifth show with the South Devon Players. His favourite role he has performed with the Players, so far, has been Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet”.

He considers himself a jack of all trades as he also has skills in creative writing, audiovisual editing, and drawing. He can even play a few simple tunes on the guitar.

Fun fact:
He finds learning lines for Shakespeare plays easier than contemporary ones.

Robin Buckfield - The Professor

Robin Buckfield has been acquainted with the stage since the age of five and has since performed roles such as Curtis (Sister Act) and Buddy Holly (We Will Rock You).
He is currently preparing for his debut performance with SDP and is very excited for his first production that isn't a musical (he doesn't think his vocal chords could take that kind of punishment anymore).
Fun Fact:
Robin is an avid field archer and swordsman participating in numerous tournaments for both sports whenever possible.

Laura Jury - Lunatic & fortunteller

I am Laura - founder of the South Devon Players - a story told elsewhere. I have been performing in theatre and film since 1996, do a lot of work with Equity, the actors trade union especially advoicating for regional and grassroots theatre. I love playing intense quirky roles. I am playing a couple of small parts in the show and focussing on directing the show and also building up South Devon Players for everyones benefit.

A couple of fun facts - my other huge interests are swimming in the sea and cosplaying as a Jedi knight.

and some of the incredible crew

Bethany Ward - co -costumer
Hi, my name is Bethany Ward. I've been sewing since I was in primary school and have just graduated from Arts University Plymouth, studying Costume Production. I love all things theatre, but costume has always been my favourite, particularly anything historical. This will be my first show with South Devon Players and I am so excited to bring what I have to this amazing team and cast. Fun fact: I have performed onstage with Chris Rankin, who played Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films, in a pantomime production of the Wizard of Oz. Obviously he played the wizard

Sophie Kira Ross - Lighting

Sophie Ross is more likely to be found off stage than on stage, though she is no stranger to acting in the local village pantomime and singing at Open Mic Nights in her local pub.

Sophie comes from a theatrical background, with most of her family being involved in theatre and ballet through the decades.

Sophie is currently part of the Stage crew responsible for lighting and Jekyll and Hyde is her second show with South Devon Players.

Fun fact: not revealing her age in anyway, but Sophie first dabbled in lighting about 45 years ago in a Southern African country. Theatre lighting has changed a lot since then.

Sue Slade - Education outreach & Chaperone

I started working with the South Devon Players in 2018. First as an actor chaperone for my two child actors.
Then post Covid as company chaperone, as time has progressed my role has expanded in administration, grant research and educational outreach, where our productions appear in theatre and literature syllabi

Madison May - co-costumer

Madison May, 30, has never acted a day in their life

Been sewing on and off since age 10, more recently sewing almost daily for the past year. No formal training in costume production, but love the joy of taking a character and working out what I can say about them visually, to tell more of their story through their clothing.
Fun fact about me: I play the accordion in a pirate band (which I made a lot of the costumes for!)

Meet the awesome cast

and some of the incredible crew

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