The Team
Mark Griffin
Mark Griffin (or Griff as he is usually known) has been involved in the entertainment and event business since before leaving school.
“A love of history and of stunts has undoubtedly robbed the world of a fine star of light entertainment. Although I can sing and dance a little, I can joust and show off historical skills a heck of a lot better.
“I’ve worked in the historical field for nearly three decades, performing in, and running, countless shows all over the world. My skill range extends from story telling to jousting, via action choreography, expertise in period detail, show design and more. I’m very keen on attention to detail; that’s important when recreating the past but equally so when considering what the audience is experiencing. It’s vital to ensure there is energy and enthusiasm in whatever the team does.
“Each time I’m working - whether I’m dangling from a rope with a machine gun, holding up a stagecoach, or addressing an audience in the Great Hall at Hampton Court Palace as Henry VIII - I realise how lucky I am to be doing this. Of course there are times when it’s not so pleasant: seeing an opponent charging towards me on a horse, or being up to my waist in freezing water for Time Team trying to catch fish medieval style, for example: but I still wouldn’t swap it for a ‘proper’ job.”
Tamsin Lewis
Tamsin Lewis FRhistS FSA is a musician and historian who studied violin at the Florence Conservatoire before reading Classics and Italian at Oxford.
She directs Passamezzo, an established early music ensemble known for their ability to bring historical events to life through engaging performance and programming, and has written, arranged, directed and played music for theatre productions and events at a variety of venues from Shakespeare’s Globe and Hampton Court to the streets of Marrakech.
Tamsin is an associate lecturer in Renaissance music and art at the Courtauld Institute, and has written books and articles on early modern music and society, on topics, ranging from popular music and song, broadside ballads, seasonal festivals and customs, weddings, clothing, chocolate, coffee, Anne Boleyn’s coronation, the Mayflower, and the plague.
“I have extensive experience working in film and television, both as a presenter and performer on screen, and, off screen, working with cast, crew and crowd, as a musical and historical consultant. I have worked on a number of musical scenes, giving instrumental and singing lessons to actors including Jude Law, Danny Dyer, Alicia von Rittberg and Bella Ramsey.”
Recent work includes:
-
Firebrand
-
Surface
-
Becoming Elizabeth
-
Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family
-
A Discovery of Witches
-
Lucy Worsley’s Merry Tudor Christmas
-
Draw on Sweet Night
Rachel Jardine
Rachel Jardine has a unique mix of skills which allow her to assist in the production of historical projects.
She is an award-winning Television Producer/Director, specialising in arts and history documentaries, with additional focus on 'living history', genealogy, antiques and art authentication. Her TV work has involved such unusual historical tasks as overseeing the accurate (and safe) recreation of Victorian hair dye using original pharmacist's manuals; the preparation of food from a 17th century lamprey pie to 1920s ice cream made in an original churn. She has advised drama scriptwriters on the minutiae of prices, brands and times of day during historical events, and provided detailed instructions on how one might defuse a WW2 bomb.
Having directed historical reconstruction for documentaries, Rachel understands the need for balance between 'correct' historical detail and the director's vision, as well as the tight constraints of time and budget. She is a skilled scriptwriter herself and can advise on historically accurate approaches to scenes.
Rachel's own historical research has focused on the history of packaging, advertising and 'everyday' objects. Her focus during her MA in History of Design from the V&A/RCA was on 16th and 17th century ephemera — including pins and playing cards. She continues to research and write about 16th century objects and also has a strong interest in costume and the history of food.
Rachel also has a successful Vintage clothing business specialising in millinery from the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 50s - and whose following is built on her expert knowledge of historical hats.
Rachel's TV documentaries include:
-
The Mysterious Mr Webster (Prof James Shapiro on the life of playwright John Webster)
-
Ancient Murder Mysteries (dramatising archaeological murders)
-
Who Do You Think You Are?
-
Killing Sherlock: Lucy Worsley on the Case of Conan Doyle
-
Makeup: A Glamorous History with Lisa Eldridge
-
A Night At Hampton Court (recreating the baptism of Edward VI in 1537)
Her films have explored many subjects including the history of wallpaper; horror films; romantic fiction; corporal punishment; ocean liners, Anglo-Russian relations, and Edwardian food brands - as well as the lives of Jane Austen and Alistair Cooke.
James Everett
James originally comes from a mechanical engineering and industrial design background. But for the past nine years, he has worked in the film and TV industry.
During that time, he has predominantly worked in the Art Department on productions such as:
-
Bridgerton
-
The Winter King
-
The Gallows Pole
-
The Power
-
The Souvenir Pt. 2
-
Fast and Furious 9
He has also worked on commercials for companies such as Morrisons and Barclays.
Furthermore, he has worked as a Supporting Artist and SPACT on productions such as:
-
Vanity Fair
-
World on Fire
-
Father Brown
-
Vikings: Blood and Conquest
-
The Personal History of David Copperfield
In addition, he has sourced SPACTs for the BBC’s Father Brown, and comedian Sam Campbell’s UK tour.
When he is not working on film and TV productions, he regularly participates in historical reenactment events - from which his love of history originates.
To learn more about these events, click here.