Julian Bleach

Julian Bleach (born 29 December 1963) is an English actor, singer and playwright, who is known as co-creator and "MC" of Shockheaded Peter, a musical entertainment based on the works of Heinrich Hoffmann, which won the 2002 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment. He is also known for playing Davros in the 2005 revival of Doctor Who (in 2008, 2015, and 2023).

Early life Bleach was born in Bournemouth. He was educated at Summerbee School and studied drama at Bournemouth and Poole College. After that he trained at London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Career Bleach's other theatre work includes playing Ariel to Patrick Stewart's Prospero in the RSC's 2007 production of The Tempest, directed by Rupert Goold, and Mr. Sowerberry (to Louise Gold's Mrs. Sowerberry) and Dr. Grimwig in the 2009 Theatre Royal Drury Lane production of the musical Oliver!.

On television, he has starred as "The Monster" in the 2007 ITV adaptation of Frankenstein. He played the Grand Master from the second series of children's drama M.I. High and guest-starred as the villainous "Ghostmaker" in Peter J. Hammond's "From Out of the Rain" in the second series of Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. and live at the Doctor Who Prom, before returning to the role in the 2015 series opener, "The Magician's Apprentice", and its conclusion, "The Witch's Familiar". In 2010, it was announced that he would star as the eponymous character in The Nightmare Man, the opening story of Series 4 of The Sarah Jane Adventures. This makes him one of only two actors (the other being Paul Marc Davis) to appear in not only Doctor Who, but two of its spin-offs, Torchwood and The Sarah-Jane Adventures. He reappeared in the 2023 Children in Need mini-episode Destination: Skaro, portraying Davros prior to his disfigurement.

In 2011, he appeared as Niccolò Machiavelli in the Showtime series The Borgias. In 2016 Bleach appeared as Barkilphedro in the critically acclaimed new musical The Grinning Man at Bristol Old Vic which transferred in late 2017 to Trafalgar Studios. In the same year he also appeared in Rory Mullarkey's new play Saint George and the Dragon at the Royal National Theatre.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1990 The Fool 1994 Beg! Dr. Rogers 1999 Topsy-Turvy Mr. Plank 2002 Ghost Child Leo 2005 The Brothers Grimm Letorc 2006 The Fall Mystic/Elderly Patient 2008 Lecture 21 Aristocrat 2009 Badinage Franklin Gothic 2011 Anonymous Sir Richard Pole 2012 Lord Horror: The Dark and Silver Age Lord Horror Les Misérables Claquesous 2013 The Fallen Word Franklin Gothic 2015 Avengers: Age of Ultron Ballet Instructor MindGamers Preacher Remainder Pianist Word Made Flesh: Sir Peter Blake Mad Hatter Short film2016 Mother Crematorium Technician Short film Suicide Note The Man Short film

Television Year Title Role Notes 2002 The Gist David Luscombe TV movie 2005 Riot at the Rite Violinist TV movie2007 The Afternoon Play Stefan Episode: "Come Fly With Me" Frankenstein The Monster TV movie 2008–13 M.I. High The Grand Master 2008 Torchwood The Ghostmaker Episode: "From Out of the Rain" 2008, 2015, 2023 Doctor Who Davros 4 episodes, 1 mini episode 2008 Criminal Justice Gaoler Series 1, Episode 3 2009 Doctor Who at the Proms Davros 2010 The Sarah Jane Adventures The Nightmare Man Serial: The Nightmare Man Psychoville Doctor/Eddie Episode: "Halloween Special" 2011–13 The Borgias Niccolò Machiavelli 2012 Ripper Street Cecil Creighton Episode: "I Need Light" 2014 This is Jinsy Undertaker Episode: "Population 791" 2016 Close to the Enemy Geoffrey Salter TV miniseries 2017 Emerald City Roquat 4 episodes 2019 Heirs of the Night Dracula 2022 Halo Mercy x episodes 2022 Jerome McClintock 2 episodes

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2015 Lego Dimensions Davros Uncredited

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 1992 Macbeth Macbeth Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham 1993 Dracula Count Dracula London Bubble Theatre Company 1995 Gormenghast Flay/Barquentine David Glass New Mime Ensemble 1996 The Government Inspector Zemlyanika Leeds Playhouse 1997 A Midsummer Night's Dream Puck English Shakespeare Company 1998–05 Shockheaded Peter Shockheaded Peter 2002 Cabaret Emcee Chichester Festival Theatre 2003 The Firework-Maker's Daughter Hamlet the Elephant Crucible Theatre 2005 The Importance of Being Earnest Lane/Merriman Oxford Playhouse 2006 Antony and Cleopatra Clown/Alexas Royal Shakespeare Company 2006 The Tempest Ariel Royal Shakespeare Company 2008–09 Oliver! Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig Theatre Royal, Drury Lane 2010 Every Good Boy Deserves Favour Ivanov Royal National Theatre 2016–18 The Grinning Man Barkilphedro Bristol Old Vic/Trafalgar Studios 2016 Raising Martha Roger Duffy Park Theatre 2017 Saint George and the Dragon The Dragon Royal National Theatre2022Into the WoodsThe Mysterious ManTheatre Royal, Bath 2024-25 The Importance of Being Earnest Merriman/Lane Royal National Theatre