Our people

Did you know that Samuel Taylor Coleridge refers to a Pleasure Dome in his seminal poem, Kubla Khan, inspired by Exmoor's dramatic landscape?

Helena Payne- Creative Director/Producer

Helena grew up between Exmoor and London. She read English at the University of Exeter before training as an actor at Drama Studio London. She is the Creative Director of Pleasure Dome Theatre and has produced all their shows to date. Recently she wrote and toured ROSALIE in partnership with the National Trust; other writing credits include LOUISA, the incredible true story of the Overland Launch which toured in partnership with the RNLI supported by Arts Council England. She is currently developing LOUISA for future touring and
writing several new pieces including A Christmas Carol for the Brewhouse, The Jeffreys Project, and SLEDGE.

She has played both Helena and Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Edmund in LEAR, Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, Will Doone and Gwenny in Lorna Doone, Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, and Lady Sims in The Twelve Pound Look with Pleasure Dome. Other work includes Sexism is Bad...at The Arcola, Praxagora in The Assembly Women, Mrs Smith in The Bald Prima Donna, Guiderius in Cymbeline, Viola in Twelfth Night and Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing, and Lily in Birthday Day with Wassail Theatre.
Sung roles include Mercedes in Carmen, Amneris in Aida, Cassandra in Les Troyens, The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Queen of the Fairies in Iolanthe, Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Annio in La Clemenza di Tito, Mrs Noye in Noye’s Fludde and Mustardseed in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

She loves The Valley of Rocks and thanks you for indulging her childhood dream in turning this spectacular space into a theatre.. What has she done then?

Scott Le Crass- Director and Associate Company Member

Scott was born in Bristol, grew up in Birmingham, trained as an actor at Arts Ed and was a director on the Birmingham Rep’s first Foundry Programme. Last year he completed the National Theatre Director’s Course. He is an Associate Director for Pleasure Dome Theatre Company and has directed all their productions

to date. Credits include Rose by Martin Sherman starring Maureen Lipman (West End), Buff (Plymouth Theatre Royal/The Pleasance, Edinburgh), The Railway Children (OVO), My Dear Aunty Nell (UK Tour), Merboy (Omnibus), Thirsty (Vault Festival), Rose (Hope Mill Theatre/Park Theatre), Twelfth Night (East London Shakespeare Festival), I Couldn’t Do Your Job (Pleasance Theatre, London/Queens Theatre, Hornchurch), Elmer (UK and International Tour/Sell A Door), Sid (Arts Theatre and UK Tour), Country Music (Omnibus

Theatre), The Witches (Watford Palace), Alice in Wonderland (Old, Rep, Birmingham), If You Love Me This Might Hurt by Matty May (Camden People’s Theatre), Education, Education Karaoke (Camden People’s Theatre).

Jai Morjaria- Associate Company Member

Jai trained at RADA and won the 2016 Association of Lighting Designer’s ETC Award.

Recent designs include Cruise (Duchess Theatre); Big Big Sky, The Hoes (Hampstead Theatre); Lava, Pawn/Limbo (Bush Theatre); My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) (Turbine Theatre); Hushabye Mountain (Hope Mill); Out of the Dark (Rose Theatre Kingston); Shuck’n’Jive, Whitewash (Soho Theatre); Anansi the Spider, Aesop’s Fables (Unicorn Theatre); I’ll Take You To Mrs. Cole (Complicite); World’s End (King’s Head Theatre); The Actor’s Nightmare (Park Theatre); Mapping Brent (Kiln Theatre); Mary’s Babies (Jermyn Street Theatre); Glory (Duke’s Theatre/Red Ladder); Cuzco (Theatre503); Losing Venice (Orange Tree Theatre); King Lear, Lorna Doone (Exmoor National Park); Cinderella (Duke’s Lancaster); Ages of the Moon (Vaults Festival); A Lie of the Mind (Southwark Playhouse); 46 Beacon (Trafalgar Studios with Rick Fisher); Out There on Fried Meat Ridge Road (White Bear Theatre/Trafalgar Studios 2); Acorn (Courtyard Theatre. Off-West End Award nomination for Best Lighting).

Lizzie Watts- Designer and Associate Company Member

Lincolnshire born artist and musician Lizzie Watts graduated from the Norwich School of Art and Design in 2010. A multi-disciplined creative with a diverse portfolio, she is inspired by traditional arts and children's literature. She has worked on shows at The Young Vic, Royal Court, Bristol Old Vic, Camden Roundhouse and The BAC and has designed productions for theatres and touring companies across the UK. She co-manages Thimble Theatre, a Bristol based company developing performances based in storytelling, mask work and puppetry for audiences of all ages. Lizzie is an experienced workshop leader and is passionate about making theatre with and for young people. She is often employed as a designer/mentor working with youth theatres and designing theatre in education.

Ben Fensome - Writer

Ben is an actor and writer based in Devon. He trained at the Oxford School of Drama and received an MA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. As an actor, he has performed as Oberon in Pleasure Dome's Midsummer Night's Dream in 2021. His most recent play BUFF premiered at the VAULT Festival in Jan 2023 and is now transferring to the Pleasance for the Edinburgh Fringe with a preview run at Theatre Royal Plymouth. Other work includes Every Seven Years at the New Wimble-
don Studio, and Couplet which was performed at the Bush Theatre and Southwark Playhouse. His new play In One Short Moment was longlisted for the Bruntwood Prize and is being workshopped for a 2024 production. Treasure Island is his first adaptation and he is excited to be working with Pleasure Dome again.

Seb Payne - Composer/ Musical Director

Seb began as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral and the classical training he received has formed a bedrock for all that followed. Songwriting was taken up in his late teens, and since his steady
introduction into more contemporary styles there has been no looking back. As a scholar at Berklee College of Music, Boston, Seb developed and expanded his musical scope. Now living in London and performing with several different groups – from 80’s classics to A Cappella group NoVI to funk/rock band Superbird – Seb still just about finds time to write and record his own music under the pseudonym, Kasoma. He is relishing working on the sound world of Treasure Island and looks forward to sharing his many original compositions and arrangements with a new audience.

Nayomie James- Captain/Harriet & Production Manager/Assistant Director

Nayomie trained at the Actors Temple in London, as well Kings Alfred’s College (now Winchester University). Recently, Nayomie attended the Paines Plough Open Writers Lab

and is exploring a variety of creative writing pursuits. Whilst in London, she performed in fortnightly comedy improv stand-up sessions, as well as launching her own theatre company. Well versed in Shakespeare and open-air theatre, Nayomie joined Pleasure Dome as Sarah Ridd in Lorna Doone. Credits include A Midsummer Nights Dream (PDTC), Best Comedy at Brighton
Fringe with A Puppet Named Desire (Stickyback Theatre Co), Mona Lipschitz in Chicago (BMCDS) and Mrs Bucknell in The Great Gale of Brixham (South Devon Players). Nayomie has also worked on a variety of film, television and voice overs and has recently filmed another mixed genre dance piece with Switchframe: Scenic Dance Projects, her third with the company.

Stephanie Berner- Blackdog "Hands" & Stage Manager/ Assistant Musical Director

Steph graduated from the London College of Music in 2018. She performed with Opera Holland Park and at the Proms as part of the BBC Symphony Chorus. In 2018, she won the Michael James Oratorio Competition. Since finishing LCM she has been the soloist for Minehead Choral Society and Taunton Choral Society. She is a frequent performer with Pleasure Dome Theatre and Somerset Opera, most recently as Ahmal in Ahmal and the Night Visitors. Steph’s next
venture will be with Bluebird Opera and working with the Brewhouse on their Christmas show, A Christmas Carol.

Lydia Barton Lovett- Silver "BBQ"/ Blind Pew

Lydia Barton Lovett trained as an actor-musician at Rose Bruford College. She is over the moon to be working with Pleasure Dome Theatre Company again, after performing in their touring production Louisa in 2021. Other theatre includes: Runesical (Gigglemug Theatre), What Do You See? (The Pappy Show), Romeo & Juliet (Quarter Too Ensemble), The Importance of Being Earnest (Michael Friend Productions). Composer/Musical Director credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello, The Importance of Being
Earnest (Changeling Theatre), Masks and Faces (Finborough Theatre).

Gina Jamieson- Jem

Gina Jamieson (Jem) trained at Manchester School of Theatre and has since performed at Hull Truck Theatre, The Actors Church Covent Garden, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, CAST
Theatre Doncaster, The New National Theatre Tokyo, Brighton Fringe Festival, and outdoor venues across the UK with The Three Inch Fools. She was nominated for the TikTok and Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund and has worked on short films, This Place, shown at the LJMU Film Festival, and Sins of The Father. She is happy to be working with Pleasure Dome and finally fulfilling her life-long dream of becoming a pirate! Please contact her after the show if you would like to join her crew.

Janna Fox- Doctor/Flint’s Ghost

Janna trained at Drama Studio London in 2010 and works across all media. Favourite theatre
credits include: LOUISA (Pleasure Dome Theatre), A Midsummer Nights’ Dream (PDTC), African Gothic (Park 90), Red Sea Fish (Brits Off Broadway), Merchant of Venice (Duke of York’s/Globe
Rome), Th’Importance of Bein’ Earnest (The Drayton Arms), Rising Damp (Sarah Thorne Theatre), Trial Play (Arcola), The Bacchae (Open Air Tour). TV and Film: The Inside Man Season 5 (Knowb4), Hide (In Production), Plant Psychic (Post Production), The Evie Project (2020), Faeran (2020). Janna is an actor/musician and singer playing violin, recorder and guitar. She narrates audiobooks, has several titles on Audible, and her family hail from Watchet!

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Miranda Braun- Squire/Voice of Flint

Miranda trained at Drama Studio London in 2018 where she was a Carleton Hobbs Bursary

Award finalist. She is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and dancer, and a children's drama teacher. Acting, Miranda can be seen most recently on screen with Gillian Anderson in a BT x Netflix commercial. Recent Radio work includes playing Nora in Studs Terkel's Working and Maya in English Rose (BBC R4). Miranda played Carrie in Not Quite Jerusalem (Finborough Theatre) in 2020. Since, she has performed in Lydia Sabatini's Pro-Choice (Theatre 503), Xposed (Southwark Playhouse) and Unsound (Soho Theatre). Other theatre credits include Everything Is Possible (Theatre Royal York), Sense and Sensibility (National Tour), Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (European
Tour) and As You Like It (Edinburgh Festival). Dubbing includes Whatsanna, Unlockdown, Quiz and Die Letzte Erfindung (Iyuno Studios).

Rebeca Sierra- Billy/Morgan/Ben

Rebeca is an actress, physical performer, director and movement director and teacher. Half of her

education and professional career developed in her native Spain and the other half in the UK, where she arrived without speaking English. As an actress, Rebeca is performing one Tuesday a month at Soho Bar in London; working for The Flying Seagull Project as a performer and clown; as a theatre maker, she is working towards: a children’s circus performance, a musical theatrical performance and a physical performance about mental health. Other productions include: La Celestina, El Lazarillo de Tormes and The Jungle Book produced by Secuencia Tres; Don Juan Tenorio produced By Academia del Verso; musicals such as Top Broadway and Magical produced
by Algoquin; Phoínissai and Edipus Rey produced by Artristion and Stories Around the World produced by Fusion Theatre Company; The Madness of Love produced by Delicatessen Theatre. She also has experience in TV, MIR, and film Hollywood, as well as a directing Landria, The Green Path and Cistellaria.

Freya Warren-Brand (O’Brian)

Freya is soon to be 18. She has always loved performing and did her first show with Pleasure Dome theatre in 2019 when she played young Lorna in Lorna Doone.
She then rejoined them for a A Midsummer Night’s Dream and is excited to be a part of Treasure Island. In school, she has played Miss Banks in Mary Poppins and was later in the Brendon pantomime. She is currently studying Creative Media and hoping to study Performing Arts at either LAMDA or Urdang academy.