This and That: A Winter Special

Your hosts for the evening: 

Ryan Murphy
As a deaf artist, Ryan is passionate to tell silent stories. His juggling explores the dynamics of ordinary objects; bringing a sense of spectacle to simple situations and everyday scenes. He has toured extensively in the outdoor arts through his work as Tit for Tat, with international shows such as ‘The Most Dangerous Cup Of Tea In The World’ and ‘Now I Am Become d/Deaf (Destroyer of Words)’, and with immersive theatre company Wet Picnic in ‘The Lift’, ‘The Aperitif’ and ‘The Ball’. Using clown, written comedy, and character driven circus – his work aims to lessen the divide between spectator and spectacle, and celebrate the absurd with his audiences.

Maia Ayling
Maia is a British-French actress and circus performer based in the South West, working across physical theatre, sketch comedy, live music and storytelling. She likes to create shows with social themes and contemporary concepts framed within fantasy worlds, devising theatre that is both sincere and surreal. Also an accomplished saxophonist and singer, Maia’s breadth of work has taken her across Europe, and through her work as Tit for Tat she has most recently toured with shows such as ‘Books!’ and ‘A Knight Away’.

Beth St John

Rolling in from New Zealand and now rooted in Bristol’s vibrant circus scene, Beth is a cyr wheel and acrobatic performer. Working across international circus ensembles and duo/trio acrobatics, she loves the art of improvisation and the ever-changing nature of live performance. She revels in projects which feature narrative as well as slick technical skills, and seeks to use circus as a vocabulary to tell stories.

Matt Pang

Our guest act for the 21st and 22nd December; Matt’s juggling work splashes across performance, street theatre and clown. Known for combining his physical ideas with eccentric contraptions and machines (which he builds himself!) he has developed unique skillsets both as a maker and as a performer. He has toured internationally through his circus-theatre company, PanGottic, and with shows such as ‘Thingamabob!’, ‘Those In Glass Houses’ and ‘Loaded’. As a piece of trivia, Matt has constructed and advised on pieces of set used in Tit for Tat’s shows, including their trademark ‘Whirling Hatstand Of Death’ and the deceivingly sturdy shelving of ‘Books!’.