Paulette Randall was born in south London to Jamaican parents . She attended Saint Judes Primary and Dick Shepherd Secondary School in Brixton . When she was 11 she started helping out in a shop on Saturdays and she has said : " It was working in Brixton market that was my real first understanding of theatre , just the characters you met and stories you heard . " She subsequently went to drama school at the age of 18 , training to be an actress at the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama . After graduating in 1982 , she and two fellow students – Bernardine Evaristo and Patricia Hilaire – set up their own company , called Theatre of Black Women , in response to the lack of roles for black actors at the time . She was Associate Director of the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony , working alongside Danny Boyle . According to London 's '' Evening Standard '' : " Knowing her theatrical pedigree – Randall , 49 , has directed August Wilson 's plays , which celebrate the African American experience and is a former artistic director of black theatre company , '' ' Talawa ' '' ; her TV credits include '' Desmond 's '' ( C4 ) and '' The Real McCoy '' ( BBC2 ) – makes you wonder whether she can claim credit for the multicultural flavour of the show . " In 2013 Randall became the first female black director to bring a production to the West End with Wilson 's '' Fences '' , starring Lenny Henry , at the Duchess Theatre
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
Paulette Randall