The One: cast and creatives
MEL JENSEN, WRITER/DIRECTOR/WOMAN
Mel has extensive performance training from NIDA, Actor’s Centre Australia, Darlo Drama, Improcorp and has studied the Meisner Technique with Luke Ford. She is also a director, producer and writer.
Her theatre credits include Love Song (Joan), Land of the Dead (Director), Helter Skelter (Woman), Speaking in Tongues (Sarah, Sonja), Macbeth (Lady Macbeth), Cosi (Cherry), Love Me Tinder (Woman), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Gloria, Mother Theresa, Pontius Pilate), God of Carnage (Annette), The Naked Truth (Bev), Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Trisha), The Jungle (Cynthia Page), Money and Friends (Vicki), Dancing at Lughnasa (Kate), The Girl with Red Hair (Ina) and Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra).
Her short plays Love Me Tinder, This is What a Feminist Looks Like and Channel 8 made it to the semi-finals of Short + Sweet Sydney.
Her production credits include God of Carnage and Love Song for Little Cup Productions, Land of the Dead/Helter Skelter and Speaking in Tongues for Dark Matters Theatre Co, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and Love Song for Gamut Theatre Company and The Naked Truth and Five Women Wearing the Same Dress for Act IV Theatre Co.
OLIVER HARCOURT-HAM, MAN
Oliver began his acting career in 2014 when he was awarded a place at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) in London. In 2017 he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Acting. Oliver appeared in many productions including as Agamemnon in The Orestiea, as Orlando in As You Like It and in Hitchcock Blonde by Terry Johnston. The cast of Hitchcock Blonde represented England at the 2017 International Theatre Conference held at the Theatre Institute of Barcelona. In 2019 Oliver returned to Australia to weather the COVID storm. Oliver’s recent career highlights include Macduff in Macbeth and Caliban in The Tempest with Point Break Drama, Henry Baskerville in the Hound of the Baskervilles at the Genesian Theatre and Damis in Tartuffe for Players in the Pub.
ENOCH LI, MAN
Enoch is a Chinese (Hong Kong) Australian actor based in Sydney. In theatre, he was most recently in Nautanki’s production of The Jungle Book, playing Akela at the Riverside Theatre in Parramatta. He was also in New Theatre’s production of Chimerica, playing the role of Young Zhang Lin and the Guard. He made his Indie Theatre debut at KXT as the lead in the critically acclaimed A Grain of Sand by Declan Coyle, directed by Margaret Thanos, followed shortly as The Gardener in Lady Precious Stream directed by Tiffany Wang at Brand X. Enoch graduated with a Adv. Diploma in Screen and Media (Acting) at the Academy of Film, Theatre and Television (now JMC) and was directed by Anthony Skuse in his graduation showcase, Crime and Punishment. In film, Enoch played Tse Chi Lop in a season 2 episode of The Invisibles, produced by National Geographic. Enoch also holds a Bachelor of Social Work (UNSW) and a Master of Commerce (USYD). He is also a dancer and is often found in the studio practicing his hip hop moves and learning the latest K-pop choreography. He is passionate about sharing stories that connects different cultures together. His Instagram handle is @enochli_
JOHN MICHAEL NARRES, HIM
John Michael (JM) graduated from ACTT in 2000 with an Advanced Diploma in Acting.
JM was a resident actor with the Sydney Shakespeare Festival between 2010-2013 while also taking part in the inaugural Actors Lab Intensive with Bell Shakespeare. JM has worked with Belvoir St Theatre, Theatre Travels & Seymour Centre, Riverside Theatres, NIDA & Q Theatre, Penrith.
JM’s most recent roles include Constable Hicks in Alex Tutton’s Come Again (June 2023), produced by Purple Tape Productions as part of their Tape Over Festival at KXT Theatre and Raymond in Subtlenuance’s revival production of Catherine At Avignon (August 2023) at Meraki Arts Bar. Other roles have included Ian (How To Win A Plebiscite And Tennis, NIDA 2022 Festival of Emerging Artists), Louis (Angels In America, Part I: Millenium Approaches), B (5 Guys Chillin’, New Theatre Queer Fringe) & Kurt/Solomon (Pinball, Revival Production). After working in the indie theatre circuit since 2009, JM will be making his professional theatre debut in late 2023.
You can follow JM’s acting work on his Facebook Page John Michael Narres_ACTOR
EMILY SHADDICK, FRIEND
Emily is a teacher, artist, actor, mother, daughter and ball-of-fire. She has held several exhibitions of her linoprints which highlight the historical contribution of women to art and science. An improvisation course in 2012 ignited a spark for theatre. Emily joined the Darlo Drama community and and performs regularly in company productions. The most recent, God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza, produced by Little Cup Productions was well received by the critics. On stage, she is interested in exploring the drama and humour in the endless variety and complexity of human relationships.
MATTHEW VAN DEN BERG, MAN
Matthew arrived in Sydney a year ago from his hometown of Auckland. This is his first acting role in Sydney but by no means his first rodeo. He has acted and directed for over 20 years in both Perth and New Zealand, in amateur and professional productions. A recent highlight includes directing the first amateur production of The Girl On The Train for Howick Little Theatre in Auckland. Matthew loves the arts and creativity - especially theatre - and uses direction to inform his work as an actor and acting to inform his work as a director.
JOEL MONTGOMERY, STAGE MANAGER/LIGHTING DESIGNER
Joel is an emerging theatre practitioner currently in his final at The National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). This is Joel’s second show with Little Cup Productions working as lighting designer for 2022’s production of Love Song. Through his studies Joel has also had the opportunity to work on a number of shows including The Wasps (Lighting Designer), The Magic Flute (Head Electrician), Just Macbeth! (Deputy Stage Manager) among many others. In addition to his studies Joel has worked on Webster’s Bitch (Stage Manager) with Talk house Productions as well as various community theatre productions.
ABIGAIL MONTGOMERY, SOUND DESIGNER
Abigail is a Sydney based, emerging artist, working primarily with interactive sculptural installations and immersive sound. Abigail is currently studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UNSW Art and Design, majoring in sculpture, sound, and printmaking, seeking to create work for the gallery space, theatre, film and public spaces.
DIANA PAOLA ALVARADO, INTIMACY DIRECTOR
Diana is a movement and intimacy director, director, producer and actor completed her theatrical studies at the School of Art, Kodaly Studio and at the Theatre Company CETAU (Urban Experiment Theatre Company) in Guatemala (1992- 2001). She obtained her degree in Theatre with high distinctions at the Universidad Veracruzana in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico (2002-2006). In 2006 she was accepted to study the technique of Jacques Lecoq at the International School of Theatre Jacques Lecoq in Paris, France (2006-2008), and completed the second year of this specialization at the Estudis de Teatre Berty Tovias in Barcelona, Spain. In 2018 she completed her master's degree in Movement: Directing and Teaching at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England. (2016-2018) And in 2018 also she was invited as part of her thesis to do an Internship at the Sydney Opera House in Australia as a Movement Director (January 2018 - May 2018);
In 2013 she decided to return to her homeland Guatemala and was invited to become a professor at the Drama Club at Universidad Francisco Marroquin,(UFM), the People's University (UP), La Universidad Mesoamericana , Universidad de San Carlos (USAC) and the Theatre School Escenarte; she is the Artistic Director, founder and director of her own Theatre company La Fábrica de Microobios, in 2019 she returned to Australia and has dedicated herself to perfecting her technique of Intimacy and Movement Direction while working in different Australian projects.