"Keep in touch with everyone you ever meet and never leave a job on bad terms"

Hometown
Well, I was born in Wales, grew up in Cornwall and currently living in Scarborough (although ‘home’ is Hereford)

What do you do?
Self-employed sound engineer

How long have you been at it?
Three-and-a-half years

What was your very first role in theatre?
Sound no. 2 (backstage radio mikes), Bristol Old Vic , Cinderella

What else have you done in theatre?
* Sound no. 1 (operator), Bristol Old Vic
* Assistant sound designer, Bristol Old Vic
* Senior technician, C-Venues (Edinburgh Fringe Festival)
* Stage crew, Bristol Hippodrome
* Technician, Buxton Opera House
* Sound engineer, Birmingham School Of Acting
* Sound technician, Chichester Festival Theatre

Have you got qualifications?
* Three A-levels
* BTEC national diploma in music technology

What did you do before you worked in theatre?
Bar work, temp jobs etc whilst trying to get work

How did you make the move into theatre?
Patience, persistence and luck

What did you want to be when you grew up?
RAF pilot

What do you do all day?
Setting up for shows involves checking all speakers and microphones are working, changing batteries in radio microphones, fitting them on the actors, doing the show.

Also fit-ups and get-outs, where the sets, lighting and sound system are put in and taken out for each different production. This is usually hard physical work.

What’s the best thing about your job?
Sense of achievement when a show goes well, and the camaraderie

And the worst?
Lack of social life, working nights and weekends, constantly looking for work and moving around the country, never seeing my girlfriend or family

What’s your dream job in theatre?
Resident sound technician in producing house or a sound designer

Got any wise words for someone who wants to be where you are now?
Seriously consider whether you can be prepared to not be in a relationship, have a home or social life outside of theatre. It is an all encompassing job that takes over your life.

If you still want to do it, write to theatres, phone them, be persistent. You will be knocked back countless times. Be thick-skinned!

Work on other skills outside of your chosen specialisation, eg if you do sound, learn a little about lighting. You don’t need much but if you have some knowledge you will be more employable.

Keep in touch with everyone you ever meet and never leave a job on bad terms. Theatre is a ridiculously small, incestuous world. You will work with someone you have met on a previous job at some point.