I make work that lies somewhere between live art and contemporary theatre; designing, devising, performing and directing. My work is site and situation responsive and centres on cultural, sociological and political climates and events, with a view to liberating myself and others from oppressive structures and hierarchies. I create both solo and group projects and hold collaboration in high regard as I see it as an art form in itself.
I am enthusiastic about making performances and installations outside of the traditional settings of theatre and gallery spaces, and this motivation has led me to create work specifically for public spaces.
I choose to work primarily in public spaces for a few main reasons: so that the work is accessible to a non-art audience, and so that it relates immediately to the world around it by simply being placed in it. Also I find it resourceful to use public sites as they contain readymade backdrops and stages upon which to place my work. At times I find myself using the public areas I am working in as my rehearsal space, because when the creative process is made public, the unpolished exposed, I feel honest, liberated, somewhat scared and truly alive.
My teaching and facilitation practice, like my work, is always evolving and is informed by contemporary theatre and live art practices as well as community facilitation techniques such as Theatre of the Oppressed, Process and Applied Drama. I use drama for education and personal development as it is one of the most accessible art forms, the simple act of speaking and communicating is a dramatic expression. Drama and theatre are also open to including a multitude of other artistic mediums and this increases the opportunities for the participants to express and communicate to the best of their ability. I aim to enable people to communicate meaningfully, and without jeopardising or compromising the creative integrity of the work.
I graduated with an honours degree in Contemporary Theatre Practice at the Royal Scottish Conservatoire in Glasgow in 2009.
