Profession:
Freelance Producer, Show Caller & Project Manager

Date & place of birth:
February 1 1959; London, UK

Your first job after full-time education? 
Assistant literary agent alongside various stints at front-of-house and backstage in theatre and cabaret.

You studied a BA in English & Linguistics, so what made you pursue a career in event production? 
I didn’t so much pursue it as fall into it. For a period I assisted with the quick change routine for Anita Harris’ act at the Talk Of The Town (now the Hippodrome). We would occasionally do corporate gigs elsewhere. I became acquainted with a couple of producers in ‘industrial theatre’ who agreed that I might do well in that field and offered me opportunities to PA.

With a combination of communication and organisational ability, an eye for detail and design, along with some stage management nous I managed to swim once thrown in at the deep end and stuck with it. It’s the ideal job for someone like me who thrives on variety of tasks, projects, people and the adrenaline of ’live’. The language talent evidenced by the BA I trust still comes out in proposal and scriptwriting, ordering dinner across Europe and the banter that keeps us going through all-nighters.

Throughout your 25 years as a producer, what has been the single most significant change within the industry that has affected the way you work?
As with many industries, the advent of the computer, internet and mobile devices has completely revolutionised the way we work, both in terms of speed of communication and the way media is produced. It has facilitated almost instant production, it has given clients tools to do things for themselves and consequently led to vastly shortened deadlines and tighter budgets in real terms. This is a double-edged thing. Occasionally quality is compromised by the need for speed and a lack of money/time input. On the other hand, clients are quite correctly seeking far more ROI [return on investment] and that makes us sharpen up our act.

What was the most pressured situation that you have had to overcome?
Owing to circumstances I just described, many shows are under-rehearsed. Every so often though I’m put in a situation where there has been no dress and barely even a tech. This is really squeaky-bottom stuff and when you get through it unscathed it’s because a) there was always a plan A and b) — BIG B — you are surrounded by consummate professionals. Of course, any show designed for and attended by your peers, e.g. TPi, is automatically pressured!

You have worked as a show caller on the TPi Awards for the last nine years. How have you seen the event evolve over that time?
There is obviously a collective will in our industry — equal to if not greater than others — to celebrate the excellence of its members. Combine that with a propensity to work hard and party harder along with the insider’s eye, then this is a really tough act to follow year-on-year. It evolves because it has to in order to nourish the audience and it succeeds because of the astonishing drive, talent and no doubt dogged networking of Mark and the TPi team. He invites and inspires the contribution of inventive professionals such as Richard Shipman whose input to reinventing the ‘look and feel’ over the years cannot be underestimated.

What are the crucial skills for a show caller? 
Unflappability, an understanding of shows — how to gel them and what makes them unstuck. Plus the ability to rapidly conjure an alternative plan.

What occupies your free time?
There’s not much time outside work and domestics (lone parent — two kids). Music is paramount and another favourite activity is the long walk, preferably with water close by. Cheap date, eh? Except where food and drink are concerned — my other passions — then I’m very expensive.

Your desert island record? 
I still experience an immense thrill at the opening chords to The Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’, along with a compulsion throughout the entire song to leap around air guitaring/drumming/vocalising like an idiot.

What was the last gig you attended as a paying punter?
Shame you’re not asking me in a few days’ time. I’m off to see Nick Lowe, the Bard of Brentford, on his home turf on April 30. But I try to catch Zoot Money at the Bull’s Head in Barnes when I can. He’s still giving us astonishingly good white blues with the best essence-of-‘60s vocal and keyboard skills, belying his years. I’m showing my age enough now!

What would be your advice to a teenage Alex Clayton-Black? 
Funnily enough, I have two of those at home... they’re already way more focused, diligent, confident and all-round impressive than I was at their age so whatever it is, I must be telling them right!