About Us
FINDING THE WILL was founded in 2007 by Jules Hobbs and Richard Curnow. Jules and Richard met in 1990 at the English Speaking Theatre of Hamburg. After working with the education arm of the English Shakespeare Company and, subsequently, The Young Shakespeare Company, their passion for introducing Shakespeare to young minds took hold.
Jules Hobbs
Co-Founder, Director and Practitioner
Jules co-founded FINDING THE WILL in 2007. She has been a professional actor for over forty years working in theatres nationwide and also in Europe. She has worked in Theatre in Education, specialising in Shakespeare since 1996. As a freelance drama practitioner she has worked for The English Shakespeare Company, The Young Shakespeare Company, Courtyard Theatre Hereford Education, Chipping Norton Theatre, The Watermill Theatre Outreach Dept and Lynx TIE ‘Play In A Day’ for which she also writes. Aside from working in the educational field Jules continues to work as a performer. She is also a freelance trainer, facilitator and business actor specialising in impactful communication skills, leadership and diversity training in the public and private sector.
Richard Curnow
Co-Founder, and Associate Practitioner
Richard Curnow BA (Hons) Lit (Open) Richard trained as a curative educational teacher at St Christopher’s Rudolf Steiner School Bristol, going on to teach children with special needs for six years. He then trained as an actor at The Birmingham School of Speech and Drama. Since then Richard has worked extensively in theatre, radio and has many years of experience in the field of Theatre in Education for companies such as: The English Shakespeare Company, Courtyard Theatre Hereford Education and Outreach Dept, Shakespeare Unlimited, Gazebo TIE Company and The Young Shakespeare Company.
Nick Taylor
Associate Practitioner
Nick has been professionally facilitating drama workshops since 2014, when he began helping young people to get their heads around the language of “Will”. Before (and now, as well as) this, he spent 10 years touring with shows and workshops around the UK and abroad. From panto’ to political drama, Steinbeck to (of course) Shakespeare, Nick has a wide range of theatrical experience to share.
Ffion Glyn
Associate Practitioner
Ffion is an actor, facilitator and producer based in Cardiff. She has vast experience of working with young people and teachers and relishes the opportunity to collaborate with schools to create theatre. She’s currently a member of Mewn Cymeriad / In Character, a theatre company that specialises in telling stories from Welsh history. Ffion also juggles various projects as a freelancer; some of the organisations she’s been lucky to work with include the Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru, National Youth Arts Wales, Arts Council Cymru, Illyria and the Young Shakespeare Company.
Fay Greenhalgh
Associate Practitioner
Fay Greenhalgh trained at East 15 Acting School under the careful watch of Margaret Walker, and since then has had a vast and varied dramatic repertoire in her wake! She has toured with Theatre in Education companies, worked with children’s drama workshops focusing on confidence building, fun and storytelling. Other work has included touring and hosting Willett’s Amazing Camera Obscura sideshow, hosts a Bristol ghost tour and has been known to be a Christmas elf…… She is currently studying for a history degree and loves learning about the past, including the Tudor era!
Angela Sims
Associate Practitioner
Angela trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She is a qualified Lecturer in Speech and Drama, teaching Voice at the Central School of Music and Drama and working with students of all ages to develop communication skills. Alongside her professional acting work, Angela works in the corporate field and as a freelance drama teacher.
Izzy Kersley
Associate Practitioner
Izzy is an actor and workshop facilitator. She graduated from the Guildford School of Acting in 2022, where her love for Shakespeare rocketed. Since, she has worked for the Guildford Shakespeare Company and Petersfield Shakespeare Festival, as well as performing in touring theatre. Alongside this, she is the co-founder of Plumtree Theatre and a freelance scriptwriter for children’s holiday clubs.
Karen Payne
Associate Practitioner
Karen is an actor based in Wiltshire; she studied Drama at The University of Gloucestershire and has been working as a professional actor since 2012 in theatre, TV and Film. She teaches adults and young people helping them to build confidence through drama games, improvisation and devising. She works with Banardos Adoption Agency using drama as a communication tool for prospective adoptees and facilitates drama workshops with a refugee charity.
Our Patrons
Michael Rosen
Writer, poet, performer, broadcaster, Professor Children’s Literature, Goldsmiths, University London and Children’s Laureate 2007 – 2009
To learn more about Michael CLICK HERE
The Lord Blair of Boughton and The Lady Blair
“My wife and I have been Patrons of FINDING THE WILL since 2010 and are delighted to add our wholehearted support to the company’s unflagging efforts to bring Shakespeare to primary schools.”
Discover How We Bring Shakespeare Into Your School
