ALISON NEIL
ALISON NEIL began her professional acting career in 1978. Before embarking on her one-woman shows, she appeared in many theatre
productions including the national
tour and West End production of Stoppard's ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD (playing Ophelia), and
LITTLE LIES (with Sir John Mills) playing Beattie Thomlinson in
the West End, on national tour and in Canada. Other theatre roles include Elvira in BLITHE SPIRIT, Mrs De Winter in
REBECCA, Cecily in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST,
Maria in THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, Kitty in Ayckbourn's TAKING STEPS and Connie in Alan Bennett's
HABEUS CORPUS. Alison has worked extensively in children's theatre,
including many productions at the Polka Children's Theatre, London. She has also worked in radio and television.
Her first one-woman play BELLA - THE STORY OF MRS BEETON opened in 1988 and toured until 2002 to much critical acclaim:
"Such was the power of Alison Neil's performance that I am convinced I now know Mrs Beeton personally" - Paul Heiney THE TIMES
"A totally rivetting performance... deserves to become a theatre classic" - LYNN NEWS
"Worthy of Joyce Grenfell" - OXFORD MAIL
Both BELLA - THE STORY OF MRS BEETON and
THE JUST-WILLIAM LADY have been adapted for BBC Radio 4 and were first broadcast in 2001.
Alison's skills in research and writing led to a second career as an historical researcher for visitor attractions such as RAF Upper Heyford, Newhaven Fort,
Tonbridge Castle, "The 1066 Story" and "A Smugglers Adventure" (both in Hastings), and large scale events such as the VE Day Celebrations in Hyde Park, the
Queen's Golden Jubilee Pageant in London, many Royal Tournaments and other royal and military events.
She has also been a member of Past Pleasures, interpreting medieval history at the Tower of London and working on special events in other historic
buildings.
Her one-act play WHERE THERE'S A WILL won the Drama Association of Wales
BEST PLAY BY A WELSH-BASED WRITER 2008. This play, along with others, is available
for performance by amateur and professional companies.