For over thirty years, I’ve been exploring the strange, the gothic, and the fascinating spaces where reality and illusion blur. My practice spans theatre, academia, and bizarre magick, evolving from my early days as an actor and director into a lifelong dedication to mystery entertainment. Whether I’m staging interactive séances, uncovering the forgotten histories of Victorian spirit mediums, or performing at events like HorrorConUK, I love creating experiences that challenge how we see the impossible. Alongside my live and digital performances, I serve as the Chief-Editor of The Journal of Performance Magic, blending my love for hands-on stagecraft with deep research into the psychology of belief. Welcome to my cabinet of curiosities—a place where storytelling, scholarship, and the supernatural meet.
(2026) (artist) Hiding the Elephant in the Room [HEiR] [Film and Vitrine]
(2026) – The Davenport Brothers’ notorious visit to Huddersfield in 1865. Invited talk – Kirklees Libraries
(2025 – ongoing) Officially joined the organization committee for Doomsday Magick Convention
(2024) – started a secret life as a Youtuber
(2024) – presentation – The Transformed Magician: How Magicians Made Magic Horrible Again -for Transformation: Australasian Horror Studies Network Conference
(2024) (performer) ‘Mr Punch’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ HorrorConUK, Sheffield.
(2023) ‘What Sounds Do Ghosts Make?’, Interactive Workshop, Huddersfield Art Gallery
(2023) Presenter How to See Impossible Things Video Essay and Magic, Videographic Entanglements Symposium, The University of Huddersfield
(2023) Presenter – ‘Live on-stage interview with Reece Shearsmith’ Doomsday XI, Derby
(2022) (writer and performer) The Davenports Play Huddersfield, The University of Huddersfield
(2022) (director) The Return of the Davenports – a one-act play, The University of Huddersfield
(2022) (presenter) ‘Making Dark Magicks‘ Doomsday XI, Derby
(2022) (judge) The Hex Factor, Doomsday XI, Derby
(2022) (Writer) ‘Mashing up Magick: Bizarre Magick and the Fuzzy Gothic’ in Gothic Mash-Ups Washington: Lexington Books (2021) (Writer & Performer) in Crowley, D.
(2021, July 12). Séance: A View Through the Veil. Steel Films
(2021) (Presenter) Hiding the Elephant in the Room, Lines of Flight Seminar Series, The University of Huddersfield
(2020) (writer) Performing Real Magic(K): The Conjurer and Audience in Bizarre Magick, The University of Huddersfield
(2019) (presenter) Four Stage to Hacking Reality, Psycon 2019: Exploring Occult Themes within Performance Arts. London.
(2019) (performer) Séance: A view from through the veil. Leeds Trinity University
(2019) (presenter) Spiritualists and Magicians: Outrage, Appropriation and the Birth of a Performance Genre. Leeds Trinity University
(2018) (writer) Time Well Spent with the Mediums. In: The Penny Mysteries Issue 2. London, Velvet Bear Productions
(2018) (writer) The Davenports visit Huddersfield in 1865. In: The Penny Mysteries Issue 1. London, Velvet Bear Productions
(2018) (judge) The Hex Factor, Doomsday IX, Whitby
2018 (writer) ‘Foreword’ In: The Magicians’ Guide To The Baffling Blocks. Sheffield, Carter’s Magical Events
(2018) (performer) ‘Mr Punch’s Cabinet of Curiosities’ Central Library, Huddersfield.
(2017) (performer) Halloween Happening, Laurence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield.
(2017) (performer) A Weekend of Wonderful Things Yorkshire Sculpture Park
(2017) (presenter) Magic as Broken Knowledge The Magiculum Symposium, The University of Huddersfield
(2016) (performer) Halloween Happening, Laurence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield.
(2016) (performer) The Cabinet of Caligari, Heritage Quay, Huddersfield.
(2016) (writer) ‘Strange Ceremonies: Creating Imaginative Spaces in Bizarre Magick in The Luminary, Issue 7, pp. 54-63 ISSN 2056-9238
(2016) (performer) ‘Mr Punch’s Cabinet of Curiosities‘ In: Horror Con, Sheffield. (2016) (performer) ‘Vortex’ Vibe, Vortex Gallery, Huddersfield.
(2016) (presenter) ‘A Cabinet of Curiosities’ Doomsday VII, Whitby.
(2015) (performer) ‘Christmas Ghost Stories: An Evening Of Stories And Séance Magic’ Tolson Museum, Huddersfield.
(2015) (interviewee) ‘Seance and Spookshow Podcast’ Episode 12.
(2015) (performer) ‘Mr Punch’s Cabinet of Curiosities‘ Laurence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield. (2015) (advisor) Nosferatu, Proper Job Theatre Company.
(2015) (performer) ‘Mr Punch’s Cabinet of Curiosities‘ In: Horror Con, Sheffield.
(2015) (writer) ‘Strange Ceremonies: The Laboratory, Library, and the Living Room; Creating Imaginative Spaces in Bizarre Magick.’ In: Locating Fantastika, Lancaster University.
(2015) (writer) Impersonating Spirits: The Paranormal Entertainer and the Dramaturgy of the Gothic Séance. In: New Directions in 21st-Century Gothic: The Gothic Compass. Routledge, pp. 163-174. ISBN 1138810614
(2015) (writer (with Stuart Nolan)) Performing Fabulous Monsters: Re-inventing the Gothic Personae in Bizarre Magic. In: Monstrous media/spectral subjects: Imaging Gothic from the nineteenth century to the present. Manchester University Press, pp. 128- 142. ISBN 978-0-7190-8977-0
(2015) (writer) ‘The Fairy Goblet of Eden Hall to Hunting Mammoths in the Rain – experiencing the paraxial through performance magic and mystery entertainment.’. In: Tales Beyond Borders, The University of Leeds
2014 (presenter) Performing Seance: Four Steps to Collective Delusion. Milton Theatre.
2014 (magician, oracle, performer) YMEDACA Yorkshire Sculpture Park
2014 (writer) Can We Perform Real Magic? (a provocation). In Paul Voodini, Aye Demon! Reader of Minds Press.
2014 (writer) Out of Tricks. In: Todd Landman (ed.) The Magiculum. EyeCorner Press.
2014 (director) Vampire Survivors. Milton Theatre
2013 (writer) The Bizarnival of the Strange. Mystic Menagerie, 1 (13), pp.10-12 2013 (actor) Mr Shiraz: No Prophecy AshTV
2013 (Panel Member) Bizarre Magick Roundtable Doomsday ’13 2013 (advisor) Magic of Medicine The Thackray Medical Museum
2013 (director) Dr, Svengali’s Travelling Winter Show. Milton Theatre
2012 – present (chief-editor) The Journal of Performance Magic
2012 – present (coordinator) Magic Research Group
2012 (contributor) Liber Mentis Psycrets
2012 (director) Bizarnival of the Strange, Milton Theatre
2011 (performer) How Psychic are you? – the sequel, Laurence Batley Theatre
2011 (writer) Collective Delusion and the Madness of Crowds. In: Occult Magic 2: Into The Darkness. London, Valentine Entertainments.
2011 (writer) Introduction. In: Scripting & Storytelling for Paranormal Entertainers. Lowestoft, Aken Productions.
2011 (m.c.) Scrambling Your Minds Psycrets, Milton Theatre
2011 (lecturer) Tabula Mentis IX
2010 (writer) Throw Six to Start. Mystic Menagerie, 1 (3), pp.21-24 2010 (director) South lake medical – a horror attraction, Milton Theatre
2010 (performer) How Psychic Are You? Laurence Batley Theatre
2009 (performer) Bizarre Magick [Performance] The Ninth Biannual Conference of the International Gothic Association, 21-24 July 2009, Lancaster University
2009.(writer (with Stuart Nolan)) Nolan, S. Performing Fabulous Monsters. The Ninth Biannual Conference of the International Gothic Association, 21-24 July 2009, Lancaster University
2009 (performer) Many Magics – an informance – Milton Theatre 2007 (director) England’s Home of Mystery
2005 (producer / actor) Spoken by Crowds, Roro Films 2004 (actor) Vendetta, Roro films 2004
2002 (director) Headsmen’s holiday & Hugo Carp, Festival of Contemporary European Plays
2000 (actor) Howard Barker’s The Europeans, Festival of Contemporary European Plays
1999 (director / actor) Pheadra’s Love, Corridor Theatre Company
1998 (actor) The Treatment, Corridor Theatre Company
1997 (artist/performer) Four Lands (The Journey Project) 1996 – 1997 (editor) Mythos Magazine
1996 (director) Greek, Corridor Theatre Company
1996 (performer/writer/director) Abductions Mythos Theatre Company @ Discurs’96, Giessen, Germany.
1996 (actor) Howard Barker’s Ego In Arcadia, University of Huddersfield production and UK premiere
1995 (writer / director) Witch-house The Dreams of Walter Gilman – Laurence Batley Theatre
1994 (actor) Mates, Edinburgh Fringe Festival
1993 (actor) Plastic People, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 1993 (actor) Angels Still Falling, Dulouz Theatre Company
1991 – 1994 – Studied Theatre at the University of Huddersfield
1989 – 1991 – Screen Printer
1988 – 1990 – Performer in the bad ThePsycho Druids The Bedroom Disciples
1987 Assistant Stage Manager – Copycats tour
1987 Marina Leisure Centre – Character Performer
1985 Hippodrome Circus – Spotlight Operator
1985 left School then went to college until 1988
1970s first magic set and shows