Hello, I’m Valentine
Before I was reviewing shows, teaching drama, or writing about education, I was on stage. I grew up acting, performing wherever I could – from playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz to starring as Joseph in the school nativity. The stage has always been home.
I trained and studied Theatre and Dance, gaining a double honours degree. I loved to to perform with Bath Theatre Royal’s Youth Theatre and Stagecoach. Along the way, I also directed plays for
National Connections and had the thrill of performing in the Paralympic Opening Ceremony and Glastonbury Festival – moments that quietly shaped my understanding of collaboration, scale and storytelling.
That passion followed me into education, where I now work as a secondary school performing arts teacher, helping students find their voice, confidence and creative identity.
Alongside teaching, I write. My play Lanyards and Lies has been published, as has my non-fiction book Education in Turmoil: How Reforms Broke the System They Meant to Fix, which explores the realities of modern education with honesty and care.
More recently, I’ve returned to the industry from a different angle. I’m a presenter and reviewer for Box Office Radio, and I also review theatre and performance for Curtain Call and 1883 Magazine. I love conversations with artists — cast, creatives and companies — about how work is made, why it matters, and what it means to audiences now.
Looking ahead, I’m planning to write a musical this year, and I’d love to see Lanyards and Lies up on its feet – ideally with someone else directing, so I can watch the work take on a life of its own.
The thread that runs through everything I do be it teaching, reviewing, writing or presenting is a belief in the power of performance to tell stories, challenge thinking and connect people. I’m very glad you’re here.
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