Jo Beddoe

Beddoe was born in Halifax - where her father George edited the Halifax Courier and her mother Barbara was a youth worker specialising in working with homeless young people - and attended Trinity Junior School and Crossley and Porter Secondary School,[1] before embarking upon a teacher training degree at Trent Park Teacher Training College, (Middlesex University), London.[2]

Beddoe taught Drama and English in schools in Croxteth, Liverpool before moving to London teaching at West Ham College where she taught English and Liberal Studies in 1970.[3] During her time teaching in London Beddoe also became the co-ordinator of an adult literacy scheme (at Southgate Technical College) and was a student liaison officer.[3]

In 1988 Beddoe joined Scottish theatre company 7:84 as a producer. Founding artistic director John McGrath had recently left the company with David Hayman and Gerard Kelly appointed; with their funding under threat[4] Beddoe managed to sustain the company financially and oversaw revivals of No Mean City and Hector MacMillan’s, The Sash, as well as premiering Bold Girls by Rona Munro and developing opportunities for younger writers.[2]