Exceptional presenters and a polished performance
UniSmart draws on the talents of a group of international performers, each of whom come with a range of skills. Professionally trained and incredibly experienced, each performer delivers a well-rehearsed, impeccably timed and tightly scripted presentation in a way that bubbles with energy, enthusiasm and spontaneity.
Conrade Rivalland, David Ladderman, Lizzie Tollemache, Darren Thorpe, and James Ward represent a veritable league of nations – Mauritius, Australia, UK and New Zealand – and an abundance of theatre, comedy and performance skills.
Lizzie Tollemache
Lizzie, is an award-winning entertainer whose love of the carnival tradition influences her approach to producing and performing original shows. A veteran of the improvised and scripted theatre and stage scene, Lizzie has been wowing crowds on pavements and performance venues throughout the world ever since she left the school where her careers counsellor advised her “Drama is a nice hobby, but you can’t make a living off it. Go to university and get a real job.” Original, feisty and fantastic, Lizzie is used to surprising people (including her careers advisor).
Darren Thorpe
After graduating drama school in 2016 Darren was eager to add the role of ‘UniSmart Presenter’ to his performance curriculum vitae. The West Yorkshire boy is a veteran of two Edinburgh Fringe festivals and a number of stage performances. He is also a talented writer and producer and since graduating from drama school, has gone on to write for radio and theatre.
James William Ward
Born in Doncaster England James’ stage debut was in primary school when he played the part of a French waiter. Ever since that first performance, he has dedicated his life to reaching people as a performer, musician and educator. James trained as an actor at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. In addition, he is a qualified teacher with a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Bolton.
Hayden Burke
For Hayden, clowning around always came naturally. Having trained and performed as a clown, developed his own solo work, and toured with the Australian Shakespeare Company all the way to Prague, his acting CV is no joke. A bright and energetic performer, Hayden is now excited to engage students around the world through the dynamic UniSmart presentation. Welcome, Hayden!
Briega Young
Briega’s experience ranges across stage and screen, from the Melbourne Fringe Festival to musical theatre and live media. She trained as a vocalist, and most recently joined UniSmart in 2018. Briega is now excited to help reach students and make a positive impact on the world. UniSmart welcomes Briega to the presenting team!