Ken Christiansen(I)
- Actor
Ken began his career at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1992 appearing in Stephen Jeffries' A JOVIAL CREW. He went on to play Mardian the Eunuch in John Caird's ANTONY & CLEOPATRA, Sir Walter Ralegh in Peter Whelan's THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT and alongside Sara Kestelman and Barry Foster in Richard Nelson's play, MISHA'S PARTY, co-produced with the Moscow Arts Theatre.
He starred in the multi award-winning, smash hit musical, EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, as Jamie's Dad as part of the original West End cast.
His early theatre credits include Jonathan Kent's production of MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN with Diana Rigg (National Theatre), as Eric Birling in Stephen Daldry's landmark production of AN INSPECTOR CALLS (National Theatre/West End), Martin in FOOL FOR LOVE directed by Erica Whyman (English Touring Theatre), Mark Ravenhill's HANDBAG (Actors Touring Company), Victor in AN ABSOLUTE TURKEY (Sir Peter Hall Company in the West End), Philip Venables' shock-opera UNLEASHED and WHITE SOMETHING directed by Destiny Ekaragha (both at the Arcola Theatre).
He played Bob Saunders in the first revival of CLOSER TO HEAVEN (Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey), and made his musical theatre debut as The Reciter in Michael Strassen's critically acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim's PACIFIC OVERTURES, both at the Union Theatre. He played Ray Say in the building's final production of THE RISE & FALL OF LITTLE VOICE directed by Alastair Knights. He opened the new Union Theatre as Grahame Chandler in THE FIX for which he was finalist for BEST MALE PERFORMANCE in the Off West End Awards, and won the BREAK A LEG AWARD - BEST MALE PERFORMANCE. Other credits include playing King Creon in Holly McNish's new translation of ANTIGONE (Storyhouse), THE RHYTHMICS (Southwark Playhouse), NORMALITY (The Other Palace), LORD OF THE FLIES (Regents Park) and Diane Samuels' PERSEPHONE directed by Thom Southerland (Rosemary Branch) and WALTZ WITH ME (JW3).
Television work includes: IT'S A SIN by Russell T. Davies for HBO/Channel4/Red Productions, STRIKE: LETHAL WHITE for BBC, Seasons 1 and 2 of KINGMAKERS (winner of 3 NAFCA awards, African Oscars), series regular in PICKING UP THE PIECES, Lucy Gannon's INSIDERS, Jerry Hopkins in CORONATION STREET, starring opposite Pam Ferris in the BBC2 film: MRS HARTLEY AND THE GROWTH CENTRE, THE HISTORY FILE: GERMANY (BAFTA winner), CRACKER directed by Tim Fywell, WHERE THE HEART IS, CASUALTY, HOLBY CITY, DREAM TEAM, PEAK PRACTICE, MIDSOMER MURDERS, HOLLYOAKS, DOCTORS, 9/11:VOICES FROM THE AIR, 50 WAYS TO KILL YOUR LOVER, FORTITUDE and THE BILL. His films include the 2014 BAFTA nominated THE SELFISH GIANT (directed by Clio Barnard), TREACLE (with Beryl Reid, Channel4/BAFTA winner), WAR BRIDE, FISH-EYE, FIRST LOVE, LAST DAY ON EARTH, GORKA, THE OBIT WOMAN, BUG, THE RESURRECTION, CABRÓN, EMPIRE, CHASING ROBERT BARKER, THE BLACK PRINCE with Jason Flemyng, SLAYERS, and the global, record-breaking indie-flick, BREATHE EASY and PATH TO ECSTASY and SCREENING ROOM (both by Abdullah Khan). Radio: David Grieg's THE EVENTS (Young Vic/Radio4).
He starred in the multi award-winning, smash hit musical, EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, as Jamie's Dad as part of the original West End cast.
His early theatre credits include Jonathan Kent's production of MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN with Diana Rigg (National Theatre), as Eric Birling in Stephen Daldry's landmark production of AN INSPECTOR CALLS (National Theatre/West End), Martin in FOOL FOR LOVE directed by Erica Whyman (English Touring Theatre), Mark Ravenhill's HANDBAG (Actors Touring Company), Victor in AN ABSOLUTE TURKEY (Sir Peter Hall Company in the West End), Philip Venables' shock-opera UNLEASHED and WHITE SOMETHING directed by Destiny Ekaragha (both at the Arcola Theatre).
He played Bob Saunders in the first revival of CLOSER TO HEAVEN (Pet Shop Boys/Jonathan Harvey), and made his musical theatre debut as The Reciter in Michael Strassen's critically acclaimed production of Stephen Sondheim's PACIFIC OVERTURES, both at the Union Theatre. He played Ray Say in the building's final production of THE RISE & FALL OF LITTLE VOICE directed by Alastair Knights. He opened the new Union Theatre as Grahame Chandler in THE FIX for which he was finalist for BEST MALE PERFORMANCE in the Off West End Awards, and won the BREAK A LEG AWARD - BEST MALE PERFORMANCE. Other credits include playing King Creon in Holly McNish's new translation of ANTIGONE (Storyhouse), THE RHYTHMICS (Southwark Playhouse), NORMALITY (The Other Palace), LORD OF THE FLIES (Regents Park) and Diane Samuels' PERSEPHONE directed by Thom Southerland (Rosemary Branch) and WALTZ WITH ME (JW3).
Television work includes: IT'S A SIN by Russell T. Davies for HBO/Channel4/Red Productions, STRIKE: LETHAL WHITE for BBC, Seasons 1 and 2 of KINGMAKERS (winner of 3 NAFCA awards, African Oscars), series regular in PICKING UP THE PIECES, Lucy Gannon's INSIDERS, Jerry Hopkins in CORONATION STREET, starring opposite Pam Ferris in the BBC2 film: MRS HARTLEY AND THE GROWTH CENTRE, THE HISTORY FILE: GERMANY (BAFTA winner), CRACKER directed by Tim Fywell, WHERE THE HEART IS, CASUALTY, HOLBY CITY, DREAM TEAM, PEAK PRACTICE, MIDSOMER MURDERS, HOLLYOAKS, DOCTORS, 9/11:VOICES FROM THE AIR, 50 WAYS TO KILL YOUR LOVER, FORTITUDE and THE BILL. His films include the 2014 BAFTA nominated THE SELFISH GIANT (directed by Clio Barnard), TREACLE (with Beryl Reid, Channel4/BAFTA winner), WAR BRIDE, FISH-EYE, FIRST LOVE, LAST DAY ON EARTH, GORKA, THE OBIT WOMAN, BUG, THE RESURRECTION, CABRÓN, EMPIRE, CHASING ROBERT BARKER, THE BLACK PRINCE with Jason Flemyng, SLAYERS, and the global, record-breaking indie-flick, BREATHE EASY and PATH TO ECSTASY and SCREENING ROOM (both by Abdullah Khan). Radio: David Grieg's THE EVENTS (Young Vic/Radio4).
