Paul Parris

Paul Parris (born Paul Adams on 19 June 1975 ) is a British actor and director, best known for his role as Matthew Pearson in the long-running BBC school drama, Grange Hill, from 1988-1992. He has also made various other appearances in television, such as The Bill, Casualty, Neighbours and EastEnders. He later appeared as series regular Bruno di Gradi (or Barry Grade) in Nickelodeon's Renford Rejects.

Paul famously proposed to his wife-to-be, actress Filipa Jeronimo onstage at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings at the end of the Christmas Eve production of Aladdin in 2005 [1]. They married in June 2007.

He now lives in Jersey, the Channel Islands with his wife Pippa and his young sons Ralph and Albert. Paul and Pippa both run and direct a professional drama academy called "Drama Lab", for students who aspire to act. They have staged several productions to date including Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Our Day Out. Paul has also adapted A Midsummer Night's Dream, written a new version of Lewis Carroll's Alices Adventures in Wonderland, written a new version of The Wind in the Willows and adapted The Tempest for performances in 2011. In 2012 Paul directed two one-act plays which had been in the National Theatre Company in London. These shows were The Dummy Tree and It Snows, shown at the Jersey Arts Centre.

STAGED PRODUCTIONS A Midsummer Night's Dream Hamlet The Tempest Romeo and Juliet Macbeth The Two Gentlemen of Verona Our Day Out The Dummy Tree It Snows, The Guffin, The Play's The Thing, Ernie's Incredible Illucinations, Lord of the Flies, Same

Both in 2013 and now 2014, DramaLab have taken part in the National Theatre Connections Festival. Last year performing 'The Guffin' by Howard Brenton and now, 'Same' by Deborah Bruce. Both plays transferred to the Bristol Old Vic.