Michael Simkins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Simkins , born 4 February, 1956, is an English actor from Brighton, Sussex. Early companies include Wandering Minstrels, which he co-founded in Brighton in the 1970s.
Simkins was graduated from RADA in the mid-1970s in the same year as Timothy Spall and is now an Associate Member of RADA.
His autobiography, What's My Motivation, published in March 2004, describes the highs and lows of a jobbing actor. This work came out of a series of weekly articles published in The Guardian.
In 2007 Simkins published Fatty Batter, a book about his lifelong obsession with cricket. The book tells how, from his earliest awkward days as a fat boy growing up in Brighton to his years running a team of dysfunctional inadequates still chasing the sweet spot, cricket offered him a shelter from life's irksome realities and a place in which to quietly dream.
Simkins has starred in film and television (including a recurring character in Foyle's War) as well as West End theatre productions including Mamma Mia! and Chicago.
From 16th April 2007, Simkins will play the character Billy Flynn in the London production of Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre. This is the role played by Richard Gere in the 2002 film version.
He is married to the actor Julia Deakin.
He was recently in Donkeys years in the West End and is directing a tour in Autumn 2007 Richmond Theatre Richmond upon Thames September 5-15 Theatre Royal Brighton September 17-22 New Victoria Woking October 1- 6 New Cardiff October 9-13 Churchill Bromley October 22-27
The tour features Sara Crowe, Peter Forbes, Mark Hadfield, Ian Hallard, Richard Hope, Ian Lavender, Jamie Newall, Norman Pace, Patrick Ryecart
