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Stefan Golaszewski – creator and writer

Stefan is a writer and performer and double Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning director.

At the end of last year, Stefan performed a double bill of his critically acclaimed plays The Stefan Golaszewski Plays (the second of which debuted at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh 2009). The Telegraph said: "The confidence of his performance and the uncensored emotional truth of his writing are truly exceptional."

Stefan's first play, Stefan Golaszewski Speaks About A Girl He Once Loved, was a total sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2008, won a Fringe First award, was nominated for Best Solo Show in the Stage Awards, was short-listed for the Holden Street Theatre Award and had a subsequent Off Broadway run. "Excellent... no-one can fail to be touched by his story." (The Scotsman).

As a part of sketch group Cowards, Stefan has written and starred in a series for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Four and two for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4. The TV series was nominated for a Scottish Bafta in the category of Best Entertainment Show.

Stefan regularly directs writer-performer talent. Recent shows have included work with Tim Key, Nick Mohammed, House Of Windsor, Tom Basden (winning the 2007 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer), Joe Wilkinson, Diane Morgan and Jonny Sweet (winning the 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Newcomer).

Stefan writes and sings pop songs with his pop band The Popsocks. They are giving away one free pop song every week for a year from their website: thepopsocks.com.

Stefan is now developing Stefan Golaszewski Speaks About A Girl He Once Loved as a feature film with the support of The Film Council. He has further original comedies in development with Big Talk and the ´óÏó´«Ã½.

Richard Laxton – director

Richard Laxton began his directing career in 1993 with his short film I Bet It Will Rain. He went on to gain substantial recognition with Bafta-nominated television dramas The Riff Raff Element, Band Of Gold and A Wing And A Prayer. Other credits include lead director on Channel 4's Ghost Squad and the Bafta and RTS-nominated dramas Bodies and Outlaws.

Richard's feature film debut Life And Lyrics premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2006. He then went on to direct Frank Cottrell Boyce's Grow Your Own for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Films/Pathé. He also directed the hit comedy pilot Free Agents for Big Talk/Channel 4 and single film Hancock And Joan for World/´óÏó´«Ã½, which was Bafta-nominated for best single drama, best actor and best actress in 2009.

Richard most recently directed An Englishman In New York, starring John Hurt, for Leopard/ITV, which made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, its UK début at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and its New York premiere at Tribeca. It was also the opening film at the Dinard Film Festival. John Hurt received a Bafta nomination for his performance as Quentin Crisp.

Richard is currently directing Accused, by Jimmy McGovern, for RSJ/´óÏó´«Ã½ starring Andy Serkis, Jodie Whittaker and Juliet Stevenson.

He is currently developing two feature film projects, Samuel Mapp written by Angela Pell with Brilliant Films and Effie written by Emma Thompson for Potboiler Films.

Kenton Allen – producer

Kenton Allen became Chief Executive of Big Talk Productions in September 2008. Big Talk is one of the UK's leading production companies, responsible for the television series Spaced, Black Books and Free Agents and the hit films Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Kenton is a former Creative Head of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Comedy and a multi-award-winning programme maker with credits including the multi Bafta-winning sitcom The Royle Family and the Oscar award-winning film Six Shooter.

He began his television career when Jonathan Ross invited him to leave the world of Radio 4 and join Channel X Productions, where he produced over 200 live editions of the comedy chat show Tonight with Jonathan Ross for Channel 4.

In 2010, he has produced the critically acclaimed ´óÏó´«Ã½ Two comedy series Rev, starring Tom Hollander, and Him & Her and will executive produce the ´óÏó´«Ã½ One drama Siege and Robert Popper's sitcom Friday Night Dinner, for Channel 4.