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Ian regularly performs his one-man show in and around the London area, and often appears at the Brick Lane Music Hall. Further afield he has appeared in cabaret in Dubai, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi and appeared in a Tribute to the West End in Tel Aviv as part of Israel’s celebration of independence No stranger to variety, Ian has spent two summers in the highly successful Seaside Special at the Pavilion Theater, Cromer. In the Hiss & Boo Music Hall he has supported amongst others Hinge and Bracket, Dora Bryan, Danny la Rue, and Barry Cryer and also toured alongside Bernie Clifton and Don McClean in The Comedy Clean Machine.
Ian has devised and performed in numerous compilation shows, including Hooray for Hollywood, The Best of British Musicals, The A to Z of Broadway, Around the World at the Movies and And The Winner Is… a tribute to sixty years of Academy Award winning songs. Christmas 2001 saw Ian appearing as Dame Foxy Trott in Greenwich Theatre’s production of Jack & the Beanstalk, after which he performed the role of Four-eyed Moe in Five Guys named Moe and took the lead in Jerry Herman’s The Best of Times - both at the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford. This was followed by yet another Ugly Sister, this time at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro. Ian has written, directed and appeared in The Rhythm of Life - a musical look at Romance, Life Upon the Wicked Stage and Viva Variety, all at the Gulbenkian Theatre in Canterbury.
For Summer season 2006 he appeared in one of his favorite Theatres, the new National Theatre of Variety at the Blackpool Grand, after which he staged Viva La Diva – the 3 Sopranos and choreographed and appeared in Magic Moments – a tribute to the fabulous fifties which toured the UK. For the last three Christmas Seasons Ian has written, directed and played Dame in Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella and Dick Whittington, all at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre.
In 2009, Ian became resident Show Director and writer at Brick Lane, writing and appearing in When Irish Eyes are Smiling for St Patrick’s week, The Bachelors Show with Vincent Hayes and Julie Paton, Let’s Twist Again and The Best of British. The Autumn season will include Give my Regards to Broadway, the return of There’ll Always be an England and Christmas Cavalcade starring Craig Douglas. Then it’s back to Lichfield for a fourth Pantomime season at the Garrick where he is looking forward to playing Widow Twankey for the very first time.
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Ian was born in Sheffield and began his professional career as lead vocalist with the vocal/dance act Zeebra, touring Europe, North Africa and the Persian Gulf. During a successful summer Season in Jersey Ian appeared in several episodes of the BBC series Bergerac.
In Pantomime he has played the Prince in Snow White and after a successful debut as Jack Wild’s Ugly Sister in Cinderella at the Queens Theatre, Barnstaple in 1999, they were asked to recreate the roles at the Greenwich Theatre, London.
For two consecutive years Ian directed and appeared in Pantomime at the Millfield Theatre and in 2005 directed their production of “Jack and the Beanstalk” before writing , directing and appearing in Dick Whittington, the very first Pantomime to be presented in London Zoo.
In 2008 Ian devised, directed and appeared in