Mark Adams originally trained as a PE and drama teacher before becoming an actor, since which time he has worked extensively in television, theatre and film.
Mark played the role of Dean Martin in the original West End cast of The Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas which opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2003 before transferring to the Strand Theatre where it broke box office records and earned an Olivier Award nomination. He was invited to Canada to open the show in its North American premiere at the Canon Theatre, Toronto. The show later transferred to the Savoy Theatre, London, where it stayed for nearly four years before reopening at the Adelphi Theatre in 2009. This has led to many opportunities for Mark to perform as Dean all over the world including a UK/US tour of That’s Amoré, a show he devised in 2007 continuing his love affair with the character of Dean Martin. He has also played the London Palladium, the Royal Albert Hall, Kew Gardens, Blenheim Palace, Audley End, the Starlight Roof at the Waldorf Astoria, the Castell de Peralada festival, the Casino Barcelona and his spiritual home, Upton Park, in front of 34,000 West Ham fans as well as headlining on many cruise ships. He has performed as Dean Martin on GMTV, This Morning, Saturday Swings, Des and Mel, Strictly Come Dancing, The Wedding House, The Alan Titchmarsh Show and Celebrity Come Dine with Me. Further West End credits include: creating the leading role of Sam/Alfred in Romance, Romance (Gielgud Theatre and Bridewell Theatre, London), Mack in Jerry Herman’s Mack and Mabel (Piccadilly Theatre, London), Reuben in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium), Mutiny! (Piccadilly Theatre, London) and Oliver! (London Palladium).
Other recent stage performances include: Jeff Barry in the UK tour of Leader of the Pack, playing all seven male characters and a eunuch in Nymph Errant (Minerva Theatre, Chichester), Emile de Becque in South Pacific (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield), Dino in Kander and Ebb’s The Rink (Haymarket Theatre, Leicester), Marshall Howe in Eyam (Bridewell Theatre, London), David Baxter in Tales My Lover Told Me (The King’s Head, London), Jack Bates in Her Benny (Liverpool Empire Theatre), Theo in Piaf (Torch Theatre, Milford Haven), Spider’s Web, A Passage to India and Pravda (Redgrave Theatre, Farnham), Him in Jimmie Chinn’s Interior Designs (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Dear Mum Love Joe, his own play (Duke’s Head Theatre, Richmond), The Red Knight in Alice Through the Looking Glass (Theatre Clwyd), Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar (Liverpool Empire Theatre) and the Narrator in Chaplin: His Life and Music (RAI Congressehalle, Amsterdam).
On television, Mark has filmed three series of Doctors playing the role of Phil Thompson, Holby City, EastEnders, The Things I Should Have Told You, American Voices, Men Behaving Badly, Insiders, Roy’s Raiders and No Frills (BBC); London’s Burning, The Bill and Hollywood Sports (ITV) and Brookside and The Manageress (Channel 4).
Films include Paracelsus (Restoration Pictures), The Big Swap (Moonlit Films), Jesus Christ Superstar (The Really Useful Company/Golgotha Films), The Bakery (NFI) and Lords of London with Ray Winstone and Glen Murphy.
Mark recorded an album of original songs called Losing Grace, written with John Hayes at the Conservatorium in The Hague.
Other recording work includes original cast albums of The Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas (including the live DVD), Mutiny!, Cameron Mackintosh’s revival of Oliver!, Anyone Can Whistle, South Pacific, a selection of Irving Berlin songs on TER Records and True Romances written by Mark Bunyan. He has recently recorded an album of new swing songs written by Nicky Campbell.
“If he wasn’t Mark Adams he would be Dean Martin” – BBC
