James Dangerfield is an actor, singer and musician. He has worked with composer/lyricist Stephen Schwartz, filmmaker Mike Leigh and has played some of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters. As a violinist James often works as an actor-musician, and he composes on the piano.

James’s award-winning show When You Fall Down- The Buster Keaton Story most recently toured the UK in 2021. The one man musical premiered in the USA in 2017. It then embarked on a 2018 UK Tour, including sell-out London shows and its West End debut at The Other Palace. Following more overseas performances in Paris, France, it appeared at The Pleasance Edinburgh for the whole of August. The show was a huge success, winning a prestigious ThreeWeeks Editors’ Choice award, an appearance on Pick of The Fringe and was one of 10 nominees for Musical Theatre Review’s “Best Musical at the Fringe”. The Soundtrack to the show is available here.

Theatre includes: Henry in Henry V, Kate in The Taming of The Shrew, Orlando in As You Like It, Michael Gove in Brexit The Musical, Bruce Forsyth in Kathy, The Cat in Honk! (UK Tour), Old Green Grasshopper in James and The Giant Peach (World Tour), actor-musician/ensemble in Rags (UK Revival), Scurvy Sam/ Clockwork Fiddler in The Pirate Cruncher (UK Tour) Rufus in Bumblescratch (The Adelphi), Frederick in The Pirates of Penzance (2 UK tours), Greg in When Midnight Strikes, Tom Ferrier in Free as Air (London Revival), Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty, Buster Keaton in Sweet F.A., Man in Ed Fringe; The Musical Revue, Fred in Captain Hacker’s Treasure, Brian McKinnery in Grit, The Dark in My Mental Breakdown (workshop), Desmond in Cheri (workshop). In 13 seasons of pantomime, James has played Buttons in Cinderella, Smee in Peter Pan, Muddles in Snow White, Wishee Washee in Aladdin and Dandini in Cinderella. He’s also appeared in 2 filmed pantomimes; as Fanatica & Frivolity in Cinderella and The Wolf/ Woody The Woodcutter in Sleeping Beauty.

Film & TV includes: Mike Leigh’s Peterloo, Treasure (BBC), The Sikh Soldier, Prawn, Mayday, Brexit Nativity (KFC ad) and music video D.O.N.T.

Recordings include: Bumblescratch original cast recording, Free as Air, official London revival cast recording,  Legal English audiobook,  and When You Fall Down- The Buster Keaton Story soundtrack.

Concerts include: West End Live 2016 and The Golden Age of Radio.

Originally from the North West of England, James studied at Guildford School of Acting and has a degree in English Literature from Durham University. He plays the violin, piano and is also interested in drawing and graphic design. James’s debut graphic novel Nzatna is available to buy here.

For more information, you can visit James on Spotlight.