Staffing at Circomedia
Management and Administration
Jan Winter - Chief Executive Officer
Bim Mason - Artistic-Director
Indigo Redfern- Finance & Operations Director
Joanna Crowson - Business & Centre Manager, Portland Square
Charlie Kitching - Course Development Manager
William Pritchard - Business & Marketing Manager
Joe Mapson - Senior Technical Officer
Max Morley - Technical Officer
Susannah Hall - Administration & Student Co-ordinator
Shanaz John- BTEC Course Leader
Carol Sherman - FdA Acrobatics Lead Tutor & City Circus Artistic Director
Tom Shillington - Front of House Manager, Portland Square
Richard Barnett - Caretaker
Teaching staff
Bim Mason - Physical Theatre, Performance Studies
Trained with Jacques Lecoq and Desmond Jones. A professional performer since 1978 with pioneering circus-theatre groups Kaboodle and his own Mummer & Dada. He has also acted with the Bristol Old Vic Company and toured three solo physical comedy shows to events such as the London International Mime Festival.
Of the many physical theatre shows he has directed, three have received Fringe First Awards at Edinburgh - with Talking Pictures (1989) and with Relects Revenge (1995 & 1997). In 1999 he founded Dark Horse, which won the Herald Angel Award in 2000.
Other directing work includes Welfare State International, Peepolykus, Macadam Theatre, Wall Street Theatre, Green Ginger Microtheatre, solo mimes and large scale international projects. Bim has taught courses in Jerusalem, Rio de Janeiro and British universities. He was one of the original teachers at Fool Time 1986-1993. His writing work includes the book Street Theatre (Routledge 1992).
Rod Laver - Equilibristics and Manipulation
Rod is a renowned variety entertainer and has recently performed in the USA, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark and Portugal. He has made numerous TV appearances worldwide, most recently for Portuguese TV's 'Herman Sic' and ITV's 'Paul O'Grady Show'. He has performed with traditional circus outfits such as Zippo's and Gandey's, and with contemporary troupe The Pack with whom he won the Prix de L'honneur at the Belgian International Festival in 1992.
He has taught juggling at Circomedia for 10 years and was also Director of Manipulation at Circus Space. With ex-Circomedia student, David Eriksson, he won the Silver Medal at Les Feux de la Rampe 2000. In 2002 he won the Bronze Medal at the International Jugglers Association Championship held in the USA. He was recently Equilibristics Consultant for Radios 4's 'Finding the Sweet Spot'.
Mike Wright - Aerial
Originally from South Africa, Mike trained firstly as a classical ballet dancer in Cape Town before joining and touring with Cape Performing Arts Board's Ballet Company. His aerial career started in the late sixties when he studied flying under trapeze supremo Keith Anderson, and went onto tour internationally with companies such as Circus Benneweis (Denmark), Circo Cesare Togni (Italy) and Billy Smarts (UK).
As well as performing and running his own company 'Above and Beyond', Mike is also a successful producer and choreographer, whose credits including producing bungee trapeze acts for the Brit Awards in 1995; producing flying acts for Euro 96 and Simply Red; producing acts for Barnum & Bailey Circus, Circus Kröne and Circus Knie; and acting as a consultant for the London International Mime Festival. In 2002 he created and performed in a large-scale group aerial piece, Bar-Rock. Recently he has appeared on Channel 4 and choreographed aerial acts for a breast cancer film. He also teaches advanced evening classes in Flying Trapeze.
Jacky Crosher - Aerial & Acrobatics
Jacky began her circus career in Fooltime in 1987. Since then she has trained in aerial at Circus Space, London and at Palacy's school, Paris. She has also trained in clown and theatre with Commotion, Complicite and Phillippe Gaulier. She has a postgraduate diploma in Drama and Movement Therapy and a Class 4 Gymnastics Coaching Qualification.
She has been teaching aerial and acrobatics at Circus Space and throughout the UK since 1992. Jacky is also a performer, specialising in character and aerial. She has toured extensively around Europe with many companies including No Fit State Circus, Skinning The Cat and Inner Room Theatre Company. She also works as a solo cabaret artist.
Russell Jones - Anatomy & First Aid
Russell initially trained as a medical doctor, but was soon distracted by the theatre. He travelled to Australia where he worked as a doctor and also as an actor. On his return to England, he followed this new path into performing, undertaking an MA in theatre practice at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Following this, he came to Circomedia to study aerial and physical theatre. He has performed with NoFit State Circus and is a long standing member of Amphitheatre of the Arts with whom he performs regularly in London. He has also performed at various festivals, including Glastonbury and also at Great Yarmouth Hippodrome.
Russell regularly teaches evening classes in trapeze and other aerial skills. In addition to all this, he has trained as a Pilates Foundation Instructor, also with Suzanne Scott, and can still regularly be found at the Children's Hospital in Bristol, working in the Emergency Department.
Paul Clayden - Movement
Paul began performing professionally in 1980 with Micha Bergese’s Mantis Dance Company and has had the pleasure of working with DV8, Siobhan Davies Dance Company, Second Stride, Extemporary Dance Theatre, Yolande Snaith and numerous other choreographers and projects since that time. Most recently he was a performer with the Rosemary Butcher Dance Company. From 1980 he created his own work through commissions or his own Company but refrained from making work in the 1990s, preferring to focus on the performer’s process of creativity and performance.
Lisa Whitmore - Acrobatics
Lisa trained as a competitive gymnast from a young age. Studying in sports acrobatics she has an extensive experience in pair and trio acro balance and tumbling. After completing her degree in Sports and Exercise Science at Gloucestershire University, she went on to study at Circomedia, inspired by a life long interest in circus and a strong desire to continue her acrobatic training.
After leaving Circomedia Lisa has performed professionally as both an acrobatic and an aerialist throughout the UK and abroad. Her credits include the Ashes test match at Lord's Cricket Ground, Glastonbury Festival, Beechmans Circus, the Coca Cola Active Festival in Israel and appearing in corporate videos and promotions.
Shanaz John - BTEC Course Tutor
Shanaz trained in Theatre at Dartington College of Arts graduating in 1999 and has worked as a free-lance director with a number of theatre companies in Bristol including “Raised Eyebrow Theatre Co.” and “The New Writing Theatre Co.”. She undertook a PGCE at Cardiff University in 2002 and ran BTEC Performing Arts courses at Gloucestershire College until August 2007 when she joined Circomedia. Her main areas of interest are in physical theatre, devising and directing with a focus on collaborative and integrated performance work.
Haggis Mcleod - Equilibristics and Manipulation
Over the last 18 years, this "Juggler Extraordinaire" has trained with some of the very best jugglers in the world including Laos, Georgian and Moscow State Circuses, performed in America, Australia, Asia and Europe both solo and as half of the award-winning juggling duo Haggis & Charlie. In between times he has published videos and books teaching the art of juggling. Over the last couple of years he's been working the streets of Sydney, the catwalks of Milan and a 2,500 crowd at the world's largest juggling convention in Rotterdam, Holland.
David Tabb - Equilibristics & Manipulation & Acro
Never quite getting to grips with formal education, David’s, revelation came when he was taught to juggle. Having found his vocation he swiftly moved on to learn most of the other manipulation and balancing skills. Then co-founded and directed the community circus group “Ultrculcha”, writing, producing and starring in several successful shows. Wanting more, he then moved to Bristol to attend various courses at Circomedia, and co-founded the circus performance company “Tabra”. Working mainly as part of an Acrobalance duo David also performs as a juggler, diabolist, hat manipulator and as various walkabout characters. “I have a passion for teaching and believe everyone can benefit from learning to juggle”.
Wayne Clendennen - Clown & Performance
Visiting Teachers
Sean Gandini - Creative Manipulation Residency
Gareth Bailey - Corde Lisse
Sam Veale - Ball Bouncing, Ballspinning, Devil-stick
Luke Wilson - Technical Club Manipulation
Donald Grant - Diabolo
Gary Owston - Voice
Leo Bassi - Performance
Fraser Hooper - Clown
Patrons
Tony Robinson - Actor & TV Presenter
Chris Harris - Bristol Old Vic Theatre
John Fox & Sue Gill - Welfare State
Roger Berry - MP
Board of Management
Mike Taylor (Chair)
Mike is an owner/director of Interaction Learning and Development, a Bristol based limited company which provides management training to large public and private sector organisations. Mike is also a keen traveller working sometimes as an expedition leader for charity fundraising treks and challenges.
Robert Smyth
Bob is a practising solicitor, a partner in one of the UK's top 50 law firms, specializing in commercial property law. Bob has been a trustee of Circomedia for over 12 years and is currently the Chair. Bob has recently been appointed as Business in the Community’s HRH Ambassador for the South West 2008.
Baz Kershaw
Baz is Professor of Performance at the University of Warwick, UK. He has worked as a director and writer in experimental, radical and community-based theatre since the sixties, including productions at the legendary London Drury Lane Arts Lab and with Welfare State International.
Malcolm Joy
Malcolm is a chartered accountant and chartered tax advisor. He works as a tax partner in the Bristol and Reading offices of BDO Stoy, and has a broad interest in the arts.
Bertel Martin
Bertel is the Director of City Chameleon, a publishing company specialising in poetry and short stories, also increasingly involved in arts project development & management and producing performances - spoken word and theatre.
Graham Briscoe
Graham has worked in many “management services“ roles throughout his 30 year career with Royal & SunAlliance, and since retirement in 2004 has developed his “Community Investment” support activities with Lectureships in Higher Education / Universities, Governor roles on Further Education College Corporations, Charity Trustee, Professional Institute and Housing Association Board appointments.
Bernie Ritchie
Bernie Ritchie is a marketing & communications specialist and has over 20 years experience in the communications industry working in London and internationally. Bernie is now a Group Marketing Manager for three brands having recently moved to Bristol.
Duska Radosavljevic
Duška is a Teaching Fellow at the Drama Department, University of Bristol, and her areas of specialism include dramaturgy and contemporary theatre practice. Most recently Duška was employed as the Higher Education Programme Manager at the RSC and has written over 500 theatre and dance reviews for the Stage Newspaper.
Alan Cook
Alan currently works as a Training Consultant largely within the NHS, training doctors in appraisal, performance management, team effectiveness and leadership skills. Alan trained in using drama and theatre in educational and media and is a qualified counsellor.
Suzanne Lines
Suzanne is an executive coach, owner & director of abamentis ltd and specialises in personal leadership and business development to board level and within professional partnerships. Experience includes work internationally, FTSE 50 clients and part time tutor on the University of Bath’s Programme “Women into Enterprise. “
Jennifer Allen
Jenny is currently in employment as a widening participation policy officer at the Higher Education Funding Council for England . Previous employment has included working in IT, in careers/student finance advice, international student support and a variety of project management roles.