Personal Details Name   Alastair French Nationality   British Place of Birth   Chelmsford, Essex Date of Birth   28th August, 1974       Contact   Click to email

Biography   |   Purple Credits

I have been involved in the theatre since the age of 5 where I appeared in the school nativity play. I think it must have been then that I decided I didn't like being in the spotlight and didn't really get involved again until aged 13 at secondary school where I helped out backstage at the school "theatre". You couldn't really call it a theatre though, it was the main assembly hall with a stage and a few lights and that was about it.

When I was in the 5th year at school I was given the chance to help re-equip the theatre and we managed to to turn it into something fairly respectable given the limited finances of a school. I carried on running the theatre until I left school at 18. Apart from gaining a fair amount of experience it also made sure that I had something else todo instead of the physical education classes which I loathed!

After having chosen to go to Brunel University I was delighted to find that it had an Arts Centre and a theatre, and as soon as the chance came I joined up. Having put on several shows in a modified lecture theatre, the university decided that we needed a better venue for theatre and prestigious lectures. Again myself an my collegues helped design some of the facilities although this was hinded in part by the University and an architect who did not understand the needs of a theatre. What we ended up with was the Howell Theatre, not the best venue in the world but a lot better than what we had been used to

Upon graduating from Brunel (only just though, I think I spent to much time in the theatre) I managed to find a position as and engineer with a theatre installations company. I thought this would be great as I could put together my love of theatre with may professional work. This however did not work out, partly due to the hours and travelling involved. During this time several Brunel Alumin students had got together to continue performing at Brunel - BAD was born. I left the theatre installations company and now work for Aeroflex in Slough writing software. Well the company is Aeroflex this week, it was Racal Instruments when I started and we have been many names during the last five years. About a year after I change jobs (1999) BAD had a change of direction and name, we became The Purple Theatre Company as you know it today. I stood for a role on the Management Team and become the companies first Technical Director, a role which I held for 3 years before standing down. As I moved away from the area I could not devote enough time to the company but still stood for a different position, the Communications Manager, a role which I still hold today.