Ink
by James Graham
Directed by Jess Staufenberg
Wednesday 3 - Saturday 13 June, 2026
At the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington
Photography by Giulia Paratelli and Laurence Tuerk
Cast List
Larry Lamb : Christopher Lloyd James
Rupert Murdoch : Zane Fleming
Hugh Cudlipp/Chapel father : Steve Grist
Stephanie Rahn : Billie Straughn
Sir Alick/TV host : Richard Kirby
Brian McConnell : Jonathan Buckingham
Bernard Shrimsley/Christopher Timothy : Harry Apps
Ray Mills/Lee Howard : Rob Scarlett
Beverley : Michael Violette
Frank Nicklin : Bob Hough
Diana/Chrissie/Muriel Mckay : Alice Croucher
Joyce Hopkirk/Anna Murdoch : Lucy Moss
Apprentice printer : Tom Lafferty
Other parts played by members of the Company
Production Team
Director : Jess Staufenberg
Set Design : Jennie Foot
Costume Design : Jean Carr
Lighting Design : Samuel Littley
Sound Design : Ruth Sullivan
Projection Design : James Christensen
Video Content : Max Maxwell
Stage Management : Tom Lafferty, Lili Kerényi, Azul Asylum
Assistant Directors : James Christensen, Holly Causer
Lighting Operator: Trey Francis
Sound and Projection Operator : Laurence Tuerk
Costume Assistants : Polly Dennish-Ross, Sheila Burbidge, Alana Ray
Wardrobe : Lili Kerényi
Set Construction and Get-in : Rae Macaskill, Angelika Michitsch, Phillip Ley, Stephen Ley, Fabrel Pàrraga-Michitsch, Céline Barrière, Alex Burton, Isabelle Alexander, Gary O’Keefe and members of the crew
Ensemble Movement : Angharad Ormond
Christopher Lloyd James joined the Tower in early in 2024. He’s been very fortunate to appear in a number of productions including Measure for Measure, Shakespeare in Love, Staying Alive and Blood Wedding. Since returning to acting a few years ago he has also appeared in a number of short films, a feature and music videos. He is very pleased to be a part of Ink and to help tell its story of the media in a time of huge social and cultural change.
Zane Fleming is delighted to be making his Tower Theatre debut, after 27 years working across theatre, television, and film in New Zealand as an Actor, Director and Producer. He relocated to London in late 2024 and has been happily treading the boards ever since. Most recently, he appeared as Oz Fudge and various others in Come From Away with Wimbledon Light Opera Society in 2025. Previous stage credits include Greg in Reasons to be Pretty, Detective Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap, and The Actor in The Woman in Black, a role he has played 3 times to date. He also had the pleasure of donning the famous waxed moustache in an award winning performance of the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in Black Coffee. Zane is thrilled to be joining the Tower Theatre and working with such an talented cast and crew
This is Steve Grist's second performance with the Tower after his role as Craig in The Dark Room. Steve's other acting credits include Bill in One for Sorrow, various roles in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and as director and actor in Summer Shorts, all with South London Theatre, and John in Speaking in Tongues with KDC (Hen and Chickens). Prior to these, Steve has acted with the Quince Players, Sunninghill; Wokingham Theatre, and Santiago Stage, Chile. Roles with those companies included Henry Purkiss in Funny Money, Lord Arthur in Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, and Hal in Loot. Directorial credits include Villa with SLT and Oleanna with Santiago Stage.
This is Billie Straughn's first show with the Tower after joining earlier this year. She is very excited to be part of the Company. She studied at Drama Studio London and has received acting jobs predominantly on screen but is very happy to be returning to her love of theatre. Billie performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019 with the show Delicieux and is set to return next year with her own play that she has co-written and will also be starring in. Billie is also a film director and currently has a short film doing the festival rounds and due to premier this summer with the next project in pre-production and set to shoot in August.
Richard Kirby started performing in the 1970s with Chicken Shed and then moved on to St Monica’s Players and the Acorn Theatre Company in Palmers Green. He trained at the City Lit from 2002- 2004 and joined the Tower in 2006 since when he's played roles including the March Hare and Mock Turtle in Curiouser and Curiouser, Seldom Bucket in Maskerade, the Gravedigger and Player King in Hamlet, Lane in The Importance of Being Earnest, Charlie in Hangmen last year and Neil in Telling It the year before. He played Leonato and Don John in a touring production of Much Ado About Nothing. Richard has also been fight director for several Tower productions.
Originally from Stockport, Jonathan Buckingham is a keen actor who has appeared on stages across London, Bath, Manchester, Glasgow and Sheffield. He performed most recently in Ted Hughes’ version of Phèdre, playing the role of Theramene. Last year he twice appeared on the Tower stage, acting in Staying Alive and Blood Wedding.
Harry Apps is an actor and singer originating from Wiltshire. He played Marius in the International Tour, West End Concert and West End Staged Production of Les Miserables, Tobias in Sweeney Todd at West Green House Opera and featured in Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre. More recently he has recorded two albums of poetry set to music, composed by the orchestrator David Cullen. This is Harry’s second show at the Tower Theatre; he previously played John in Cock. He would like to thank the creative team for the opportunity to be involved in this brilliant play.
Rob Scarlett began exploring acting through a number of short plays while continuing his career as a full-time touring DJ and music producer. Alongside his performance experience, he has developed his craft through self-guided study, including acting workshops, courses and extensive reading. Having rediscovered a strong passion for theatre, Rob is excited to continue exploring the stage and developing as a performer.
This is Michael Violette's first show with the Tower after joining as a member in early 2026. After an introduction to acting via a short course last year, he is delighted to enter the world of theatre through Ink. Prior to this, Michael has been the lead in two short films, but this marks his first time on stage.
Bob Hough graduated from Exeter University´s English and Drama course some time ago. His fortune has declined since his first role with the Tower Theatre as God in Peter Barker´s production of Kleinzeit. Subsequently he has gone downhill: tortured half to death in Death and the Maiden; abandoned in Endgame; kicked and crushed to death respectively in Entertaining Mr Sloane and The Crucible; a heart attack in Baba Shakespeare; in The Doctor's Dilemma he was dragged from death's door only by a miracle serum. He has survived in other plays even escaping the noose-happy hangman in Hangmen. In the Tower’s recent Brighton Rock his faith in the psychopathic Pinkie was rewarded by being kicked half to death before being flung down stairs to polish him off. He is very pleased to be cast as the sports editor in Ink and hopes that his almost total lack of interest in, and zero knowledge, of spectator sports won’t infect the character. Elsewhere, he was a member of Personas Libro (Project Fahrenheit 451); details on request.
Alice Croucher is originally from Bristol and started acting from a young age at the Bristol Old Vic, developing her passion for movement and performance, and her love of theatre. She moved to London to study and pursue a professional career in body work and movement therapy. This is her second production for the Tower, having appeared as the Mother-in-Law in Blood Wedding. She’s looking forward to bringing the 1960s world of Fleet Street to life with a wonderful ensemble cast.
Lucy Moss has been a member of the Tower since 2018. She's an actor, writer and costume stylist and has been lucky enough to play a variety of roles from Marina in The Mirror Crack'd to Lulie in Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche, which opened the Tower's 2026 Spring Season.
Jess Staufenberg has assistant directed or produced on A Dolls House, Crime and Punishment and Moby Dick at the Tower Theatre. She did LAMDA grade 7 acting and was in lots of plays when she was a kid and then failed to give theatre any love until wanting it back in her life post-pandemic. Her grandparents met in Nottingham Repertory Theatre as a set designer and actress, and she hopes they are mega proud of her.
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Ink
by James Graham
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Wednesday 3 - Saturday 13 June, 2026 |
Photography by Giulia Paratelli and Laurence Tuerk
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Cast List
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Production Team
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| Christopher Lloyd James joined the Tower in early in 2024. He’s been very fortunate to appear in a number of productions including Measure for Measure, Shakespeare in Love, Staying Alive and Blood Wedding. Since returning to acting a few years ago he has also appeared in a number of short films, a feature and music videos. He is very pleased to be a part of Ink and to help tell its story of the media in a time of huge social and cultural change. |
| Zane Fleming is delighted to be making his Tower Theatre debut, after 27 years working across theatre, television, and film in New Zealand as an Actor, Director and Producer. He relocated to London in late 2024 and has been happily treading the boards ever since. Most recently, he appeared as Oz Fudge and various others in Come From Away with Wimbledon Light Opera Society in 2025. Previous stage credits include Greg in Reasons to be Pretty, Detective Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap, and The Actor in The Woman in Black, a role he has played 3 times to date. He also had the pleasure of donning the famous waxed moustache in an award winning performance of the great Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in Black Coffee. Zane is thrilled to be joining the Tower Theatre and working with such an talented cast and crew |
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| This is Steve Grist's second performance with the Tower after his role as Craig in The Dark Room. Steve's other acting credits include Bill in One for Sorrow, various roles in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, and as director and actor in Summer Shorts, all with South London Theatre, and John in Speaking in Tongues with KDC (Hen and Chickens). Prior to these, Steve has acted with the Quince Players, Sunninghill; Wokingham Theatre, and Santiago Stage, Chile. Roles with those companies included Henry Purkiss in Funny Money, Lord Arthur in Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, and Hal in Loot. Directorial credits include Villa with SLT and Oleanna with Santiago Stage. |
| This is Billie Straughn's first show with the Tower after joining earlier this year. She is very excited to be part of the Company. She studied at Drama Studio London and has received acting jobs predominantly on screen but is very happy to be returning to her love of theatre. Billie performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019 with the show Delicieux and is set to return next year with her own play that she has co-written and will also be starring in. Billie is also a film director and currently has a short film doing the festival rounds and due to premier this summer with the next project in pre-production and set to shoot in August. |
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| Richard Kirby started performing in the 1970s with Chicken Shed and then moved on to St Monica’s Players and the Acorn Theatre Company in Palmers Green. He trained at the City Lit from 2002- 2004 and joined the Tower in 2006 since when he's played roles including the March Hare and Mock Turtle in Curiouser and Curiouser, Seldom Bucket in Maskerade, the Gravedigger and Player King in Hamlet, Lane in The Importance of Being Earnest, Charlie in Hangmen last year and Neil in Telling It the year before. He played Leonato and Don John in a touring production of Much Ado About Nothing. Richard has also been fight director for several Tower productions. |
| Originally from Stockport, Jonathan Buckingham is a keen actor who has appeared on stages across London, Bath, Manchester, Glasgow and Sheffield. He performed most recently in Ted Hughes’ version of Phèdre, playing the role of Theramene. Last year he twice appeared on the Tower stage, acting in Staying Alive and Blood Wedding. |
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| Harry Apps is an actor and singer originating from Wiltshire. He played Marius in the International Tour, West End Concert and West End Staged Production of Les Miserables, Tobias in Sweeney Todd at West Green House Opera and featured in Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre. More recently he has recorded two albums of poetry set to music, composed by the orchestrator David Cullen. This is Harry’s second show at the Tower Theatre; he previously played John in Cock. He would like to thank the creative team for the opportunity to be involved in this brilliant play. |
| Rob Scarlett began exploring acting through a number of short plays while continuing his career as a full-time touring DJ and music producer. Alongside his performance experience, he has developed his craft through self-guided study, including acting workshops, courses and extensive reading. Having rediscovered a strong passion for theatre, Rob is excited to continue exploring the stage and developing as a performer. |
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| This is Michael Violette's first show with the Tower after joining as a member in early 2026. After an introduction to acting via a short course last year, he is delighted to enter the world of theatre through Ink. Prior to this, Michael has been the lead in two short films, but this marks his first time on stage. |
| Bob Hough graduated from Exeter University´s English and Drama course some time ago. His fortune has declined since his first role with the Tower Theatre as God in Peter Barker´s production of Kleinzeit. Subsequently he has gone downhill: tortured half to death in Death and the Maiden; abandoned in Endgame; kicked and crushed to death respectively in Entertaining Mr Sloane and The Crucible; a heart attack in Baba Shakespeare; in The Doctor's Dilemma he was dragged from death's door only by a miracle serum. He has survived in other plays even escaping the noose-happy hangman in Hangmen. In the Tower’s recent Brighton Rock his faith in the psychopathic Pinkie was rewarded by being kicked half to death before being flung down stairs to polish him off. He is very pleased to be cast as the sports editor in Ink and hopes that his almost total lack of interest in, and zero knowledge, of spectator sports won’t infect the character. Elsewhere, he was a member of Personas Libro (Project Fahrenheit 451); details on request. |
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| Alice Croucher is originally from Bristol and started acting from a young age at the Bristol Old Vic, developing her passion for movement and performance, and her love of theatre. She moved to London to study and pursue a professional career in body work and movement therapy. This is her second production for the Tower, having appeared as the Mother-in-Law in Blood Wedding. She’s looking forward to bringing the 1960s world of Fleet Street to life with a wonderful ensemble cast. |
| Lucy Moss has been a member of the Tower since 2018. She's an actor, writer and costume stylist and has been lucky enough to play a variety of roles from Marina in The Mirror Crack'd to Lulie in Five Lesbians Eating A Quiche, which opened the Tower's 2026 Spring Season. |
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| Jess Staufenberg has assistant directed or produced on A Dolls House, Crime and Punishment and Moby Dick at the Tower Theatre. She did LAMDA grade 7 acting and was in lots of plays when she was a kid and then failed to give theatre any love until wanting it back in her life post-pandemic. Her grandparents met in Nottingham Repertory Theatre as a set designer and actress, and she hopes they are mega proud of her. |
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