Paul Kininmonth
Such Stuff's Creative Director & Founder
Paul started acting about 30 years ago, gravitating to Shakespeare as a performer, primarily with community companies. This experience allowed him to discover just how relevant Shakespeare is for present-day audiences.
He studied Drama as part of his Arts degree at Melbourne’s Deakin University and then taught Drama as a primary school teacher. To balance the busyness of teaching and theatre, Paul has lived on Sydney's rustic Scotland Island for close to 13 years.
Paul first directed as part of his Deakin University studies; returning to it in 2017 when he staged excerpts from Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost for Sydney’s School of Practical Philosophy, a centre for spiritual, practical knowledge and inquiry. Today, with his company Such Stuff Productions, he still uses self-inquiry and the lens of philosophy to reveal Shakespeare's lasting relevance.
2023 marks Paul's seventh Shakespeare production. This year he's directing a contemporary take on As You Like It. And Such Stuff will continue bringing their wholistic approach to enrich their staging of As You Like It. An approach embodied by the company's credo, The Bard Unbound.
Taufeeq Ahmed Sheikh
Company Actor & Co-Producer
Taufeeq debuted with Such Stuff Productions in the 2020-21 season, playing Marcellus, Guildensten, and other ensemble roles in their acclaimed Hamlet. He next played Don John in Much Ado About Nothing (2022). In 2023, Taufeeq tackled his first Shakespearean lead as the moody Moor, Othello.
Theatre, Radio and films surround Taufeeq’s life, fuelling his storytelling passion. In February 2023, Taufeeq stagged his maiden theatre production, Crossover Stories. Stories, which presented 5 Short plays with 27 actors 5 directors and a combined team of over 45 creatives. Making his TV debut as an actor at the age of 9 in Mumbai, India, Taufeeq went on to acting, writing and directing for theatre when he was 17.
He has won awards in fields of acting, public speaking, literature, broadcasting, direction, and for his work towards Interfaith and Communal Harmony. In 2021 Taufeeq won best short story award for Hindi Day in Australia organised by ILASA.
Taufeeq is passionately community driven, and voraciously seeks opportunities to build creative projects focussed on helping people find their voice. He follows and hopes to continue keeping art inclusive and accessible to all.
Taufeeq pursues his work with commitment, passion, and just about anything that challenges Taufeeq creatively drives him; all the while refining and trying to better his craft.