english info

Marks’s professional career started in 1984 when he and Krissie Illing created the comedy duo Nickelodeon. They appeared in theatres and open-air festivals all over the world including New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Vancouver, Amsterdam, Dublin, Barcelona, winning London’s ‘Street Entertainers of the Year’ Award in 1984 and ‘Critics Choice’ at the Edinburgh Festival in 1986.

After moving to Germany in 1990, Nickelodeon created and toured two productions, Dinner for Two and Great Lovers in History, (both written and directed by Mark). The tours and numerous appearances on TV made Nickelodeon one of Germany’s most famous comedy teams.

Although Nickelodeon had stopped touring by the end of the 90’s, sold out runs over the next 20 years – including the Renaissance (1999), TränenPalast (1998) and Tipi (2006 & 2008) theatres (all in Berlin), Fliegende Bauten (2000), St Pauli Theatre (2003 & 2005), both in Hamburg, Comedia (2010, Dresden), Comedia (2011 Cologne), ensured the two characters ‘William’ and ‘Wilma’ achieved legendary status.

The Christmas special, Christmas Dinner for Two, was performed in theatres every year until the very last Nickelodeon performance on December 15th 2014 (Theater am Schlosspark).

Since 1995 Mark has written and performed several solo stand up shows, all performed in German and many filmed for German TV, to great acclaim making him ‘Germany’s Comedy Import Number 1!’ (Die Welt).

His standup show, Ohne Sex Geht Auch (Nicht!) (Premiere 2012) has been so popular, Mark is still, 6 years later, touring an updated version of the show today! As well performing his material on numerous German TV shows, Mark has also guested on talk shows and been the subject of several Profiles.

After writing the Nickelodeon shows, and television specials, including Merry Christmas Mr Smith (1994), Englisch Für Anfänger (1995) Mark has written two plays Heaven (2001) and Ein Feierabend für Eltern (2009), both receiving critical praise.

To date Mark has received numerous invitations to present, and sometimes direct, special presentations for companies – Daimler Chrysler, Jaguar, S.A.P. – as well as special events including the Polo World Cup on Snow 2004 (sponsors Cartier, Bank Hoffman, Siemens and Maybach) and the Last Night of the Proms Open Air – Public Viewing broadcast in Berlin 2004 & 2005.

Marks’s two published novels An Englishman in Cologne (2005, Kiepenheuer und Witsch) and Forever Jungs (2012, Kösel) are still in print. At present Mark is working on an english translation of Forever Jungs as well as a new novel in English, Leave Luck To Heaven – both to be published in 2019/2020.

Since 2015 Mark has returned to teaching, something he did briefly after university in Britain and Sudan. He teaches English and Drama in a comprehensive school in Zülpich (further details under Schultheater on the website!)

Mark is married with two children and lives in Cologne.