“Who do they
think they are” is an
ensemble circus theatre performance that delves into themes of diversity,
identity and what it means to be a female circus performer, against the
backdrop of historical female and ethnically diverse performers.
The show
draws on previously un-researched and unknown historical narratives of circus performers and the personal experiences of the
company of diverse contemporary performers. These narratives are interpreted
using high level circus skills, ensemble dance, physical theatre, projections
and text.
Directed by Eleanor Hooper and co-commissioned by Professor Vanessa Toulmin and Being Human Festival 2019.
An aerial theatre piece exploring
female body image. Using contemporary circus, text, images and stories from ground-breaking
historic female circus performers, it tells the story of women’s bodies and our
relationships with them. It looks from the outside in and the inside out.
Women’s bodies have become public property and we, as women internalise the
opinion that our bodies should look and behave a certain way in order to be
palatable. It uses circus as an empowering medium to celebrate strong bodies,
referencing obsessive behaviours, negative thought patterns and how we become
consumed by body image negativity, even when being upheld in the public
spotlight.
It is the strongly feminist piece
that every man should watch! Created in collaboration with Dr Sandy Belle
Rosales Cadena and the National Fairground and Circus Archive and commissioned
by Festival of the Mind 2018.
Trapped is an exploration of the
human condition, of being trapped, of the limitations that we place on
ourselves It is also, ultimately, a
piece about freedom. This is an aerial and spoken performance that combines
physical theatre with an underlying metaphysical narrative. A story that speaks of the ways in which we
perceive we are trapped in our lives. It is woven through the use of rope as
metaphor, the vertical dimension to explore human issues, fear, loneliness,
vulnerability and conversely strength, empowerment, and self-reliance.
Commissioned by Circus 62, performed at Tilt Festival, Tick-tock Cabaret,
Greentop Circus and Circus Mash.
Rift follows the stories of a group of individuals brought together when they survive a plane crash that lands them on a remote island. At first they believe it to be uninhabited, but then discover an eccentric tribe who take them in, not realising that behind the friendly façade, danger lies.
A research and development project, funded by
Arts Council England that created a draft narrative driven ensemble circus
theatre show, performed at The Big Shed, Sheffield in 2010.
What would you do if your shadow started to misbehave, seeming to have ideas all of its own? Avid Shenanigans uses aerial, shadow puppetry, live shadow interaction, animation and an underlying metaphysical narrative to illustrate themes of ambition, negativity and the impact our own thoughts have on our realities.
Made in collaboration
with visual artist Sarah Jane Palmer and funded by Arts Council England.
Performed on an original piece of
aerial equipment and inspired by Homer’s epic story The Odyssey. This piece
aims to explore contemporary migrations, leaving, arriving, disconnection and
disorientation. Weaving these tales into each other to deliver a powerful and
emotionally powerful show addressing one of the biggest human stories of our
time. The performance uses storytelling, aerial, high physicality and live
music.
In collaboration with The Babbling
Vagabonds Storytelling Theatre.
Commissioned by The Barnsley Civic
Theatre and Greentop Circus, and funded by Arts Council England.
Granny has crashed her flying craft and is sorting through
the wreckage when we arrive at the crash site. A mix of storytelling,
physicality, comedy and circus. The heap of objects on the floor is in contrast
to the fixtures and fittings on the ceiling. Objects trigger memories from her
rich and varied life, and we discover her story and how she got here and where
she is going next. Currently at the research and development stage, this will
be an outdoor show aimed at family audiences on a unique set and structure.