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Director and Editor:
Lorna Robinson

Lorna studied Classics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University; she then decided to spend even more time reading in libraries, and received a doctorate from University College London on 'Magical Realism in Ovid's Metamorphoses'. Her work explored the similarities between the Latin American magical realist movement and Ovid's poem, especially the ways in which magical themes are used to express political subversion.

After that, she acclimatised herself to daylight again, and went into teaching. Shortly after, she created the Iris Project and its magazine to promote Classics in state schools. She currently runs Latin and Greek courses in a variety of state comprehensive and primary schools, has worked with UCL Bloomsbury Theatre on an ancient drama project in East London schools, and has set up 'Latin in the Parks' for adults to have a go at picking up Latin. In 2008/9, she was a visiting lecturer at King's College London Department of Classics.

As well as ancient languages, Lorna likes writing, and is author of a book, Cave Canem, about Latin and Roman culture, which was published by Walker Books, a division of Bloomsbury Press, in autumn 2008. She has been working for a rather long time on a novel set in the London underground and a storybook for children based around a community of fish.

She lives in East Oxford with her husband and daughter, and in her spare time seeks out rivers, woods and music.

Co-Director
Graham Kirby

Graham as Tiresias in the Iris Festival

Graham was educated at Durham University and University College London, where he set up the UCL Classical Drama Society; Graham has been involved in over ten classical productions. Most importantly - at the Bloomsbury Theatre - he acted in Lysistrata (2004), adapted and directed Knights (2005), which was then, re-adapted, performed at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor.

Following on from that, he translated, produced and directed Medea (2006) to critical and academic acclaim, translated and produced Acharnians (2007) and co-translated Agamemnon (2008). He translated and directed Bacchae for production at The Scoop at More London (2009). His sole film role has been a cameo appearance in Dark Night (2006), which won awards at the Manchester Film Festival.

He joined Iris to start up the Hackney School Greek Drama Project and since become involved in other areas of the project as co-director. However he continues to run the ancient theatre projects and organised the Iris Festival of Greek Drama in July 2009.

He is currently mixing and editing Medea for audio production and working on a number of new translations and plays for production, including Wasps and Acharnian for Iris' Greek drama projects in schools.

He lives in East London and writes as a regular art critic for Tribune magazine and The Samosa.

Co-Editor:
Alex Williams

Alex gained a degree in mathematics from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, and then drifted into working in the computer industry, where he is now employed as a database analyst with Oxford University at The Churchill Hospital. He spends most of his spare time indulging his love of books, music and festivals, and volunteering in the Oxfam bookstore on St Giles in central Oxford. He is a keen blogger, and has had his work published. He has written play reviews for local media and even does a spot of Djing here and there when called upon.

He has long been involved with the organisation of Oxford's 'Caption' event, held every summer for comic artists and publications.

Alex works on the magazine in a variety of ways, from invaluable creative input and editorial advice, to writing the myth pages, the advice column and also other articles.

He also lives in East Oxford, and makes the most of all that the city has to offer.

Graphics Design:
Dylan Ross

Dylan co-runs a graphics design company, Penguin Army, and is in charge of the graphics design for Iris magazine. His artistic skill and imaginative interpretations of ideas help give the magazine its distinctive style, and his immense flexibility and patience in the weeks preceding each issue going to press deserve an award. Check out www.penguinarmy.co.uk for more info.

Illustrator
Charlotte Cleveland

Charlotte illustrates for Iris, and is especially in charge of comic strips involving mythical figures which you can find in the magazine.

She will be running a stall at new the Iris festival to give people a chance to see how she creates her mythical images in action, and to have a go themselves! She is passionate about illustrating, especially children's books, and she currently also illustrates for music house and the magazine 'angels and urchins' As well as all this, she works with rescue animals, which she says is great for inspiration, but somewhat exhausting.

Cartoonist:
George Hughes

George was born in Hackney; he then moved to France where he spent the next twenty-five years of his life. He eventually returned to England, and has been living in Oxford for the last few years, working as a chef and doing cartoons and artwork in his spare time.

George is currently working on two childrens' books and various cartoons. He would like to draw full-time,but has to finance his living as a chef in the meantime. When he is not working or drawing you can find him on his allotment.

 

We believe that all children are entitled to the opportunity of learning about the languages and cultures of the ancient world, and that these subjects are wonderful tools for enhancing literacy, social awareness and analytical skills. Through a range of initiatives in UK state schools, we work to enrich the curriculum by promoting learning about the ancient world.