Artistic Directors
Anna Sandreuter and Paul Evans founded Crashmat Collective in 2010. The aim of the company is to promote contemporary circus and collaborative research and create original concepts.
Anna Sandreuter
Anna studied at The Circus Space, London. Before founding her own companies Crashmat Collective and the Mary Bijou Cabaret & Social Club, she toured with Nofit State Circus for three years in the internationally acclaimed performance of ImMortal. Anna performed on tour with NoFit State Circus Parklife, co-production with National Theatre Wales Mundo Paralelo (dir. Mladen Materic Tattoo Theatre, France) which performed at London International Mime Festival Jan 2012, Labyrinth a resident show at the Eden Project, Willi Dorners Bodies In Urban Spaces Swansea, Norfolk and Norwich Festivals own Spiegeltent show Les Enfant Perdus. She also featured in the film "Y Syrcas" (dir. Kevin Allen) on S4C this Christmas. Since 2002 she has worked as a freelance circus coach and has taught hundreds of circus classes at NoFit State Circus and around the world. Anna specialises in vertical rope and hula hoop and loves a nice cappuccino.
Paul Evans
Paul started life as a gymnast, transferring from the womb to a high bar, whilst still very young he started to get an urge to perform on the stage, which he was able to do alongside his gymnastics. He then took a weird sojourn into the real world to work in finance, before returning to playtime and a drama degree. Whilst playing Puck, Paul found out that he could combine his previous gymnastics ability with theatre, found NoFit State, ran away with them and embarked on a new journey into contemporary circus. Paul now works for anyone who will have him; performing, directing and doing aerial choreography. Paul is the founder of Crashmat Collective and specialises in Static Trapeze and new pieces of aerial kit (if it’s in the air he’ll try and play on it).
Cast for Facade
George Fuller
George is a performance artist, circus performer, outdoor theatre-maker, former mascot, ex-drag performer, co-founder of the Mary Bijou Cabaret & Social Club, director and teacher, but most of all and without a doubt… a CLOWN. He has been performing for over 20 years. He has performed with NoFit State Circus in Park Life and in Mundo Paralelo. All over the world in his solo's '88' and Man on the Moon...He enjoys collaboration and good whiskey. George has been educated by many, but forgotten by few.
Andrew Mark Davies
A circus artist from England, Andy was a physically active child, at the age of twelve he began breakdancing. Later he developed his abilities in movement to include parkour and free running where he gain most of acrobatic skills. Through training with performance enthusiasts he was introduced to the circus arts which lead to discovering his passion in hand to hand.
He followed his passion all the way to Paris, enrolling at Acadamy Fratellini an established and well respected school for performers. Throughout his year apprenticeship he had the privilege to work with various directors, performing with numerous companies, helping him evolve and refine his artistic craft.
After graduating he expanded his skills to include Aerial Straps and Hand-Balancing and now works as a free-lance artist.
Laura Moy
Lauras first love was ballet. Discovering more fun could be had upside down and rolling on the floor, she graduated from Laban with a degree in Dance theatre then promptly fell in love with the circus.
Specialising in Chinese pole and counterweighted pole she has been touring award winning show Flown with Pirates of the Carabina. A regular performer with Mary Bijou Cabaret & Social Club, she has also worked with Taikabox, Citrus Arts and Upswing.
Laura enjoys time spent in the company of her cat, and dancing in places she shouldn’t.
Kevin McIntosh
A high school Careers Officer predicted an office job for Kevin. She forgot to mention that the office would have toys – fire pois, stilts, trapeze and a 25 m long rope. Ah bless. Born and bred in Jamaica, Kevin started circus life with Splott State Community Circus in 2001. Since then he has toured extensively with NoFit State Circus on the Immortal, Tabu and Mundo Paralelo shows. He was part of the NoFit State Labyrinth and Bianco residencies at the Eden Project, and has also performed with Kitsch n Sync and the Generating Company. Kevin is an accomplished aerialist but specialises in corde lisse.
Alice Ellerby
Alice is a physical performer and aerialist, specialising in cloud swing, devised performance and comedy. Since graduating from Circomedia in 2010, she has performed internationally with NoFit State Circus in Parklife and Barricade, and with companies including Goat and Monkey, Pif-Paf, and the Stand and Stare Collective. Earlier this year she performed in Puffball, a Roundhosue production for CircusFest 2014. She is also the co-founder of the physical theatre company, Jilted Pig, whose work brings together a love of comedy and improvisation with fast-paced storytelling and circus. She has been part of Crashmat Collective since 2012.
Gemma Creasey
Gemma has been involved in the arts from a young age and attended BRIT School of Performing Arts and Rose Bruford Drama School before receiving a postgraduate degree in from Circus Space. Since graduating she has continued developing her technical and creative skills with a particular interest in mixed discipline collaboration. She has performed in shows including The Exhibition Road Show, Piccadilly Circus Circus and is an ongoing member of Tangled Feet and Crashmat Collective.
Composer/ Sound Editor
Tom Elstob
Tom is a multi instrumentalist composer and sound-designer. He has written for film, theatre, circus and cabaret and is an associate member of Likely Story Theatre Company. In 2014 he was awarded a professional development grant from Arts Council Wales for his contribution to Welsh Art. He lives in Cardiff and has released two albums under the name 'The Idol Rich'
Lighting Design
Adam Cobley
Adam has a wide range of experience, both as a production electrician and lighting designer. He has toured with opera, circus and theatre companies and particularly enjoys site specific shows in challenging locations. After many years battling with the disparate elements of water and electricity he has moved indoors, first to the New Theatre Cardiff and he now works for Dance Company Wales.
Writer
Alan Harris
Alan is currently writing a new play for the New National Theatre Tokyo and National Theatre Wales (The Opportunity of Efficiency).
Other writing credits include: Rhinegold and Manga Sister (both for liveartshow), A Good Night Out in the Valleys (National Theatre Wales), The Lighthouse and Wolf (both BBC Radio 4), The Gold Farmer (BBC Radio 3), The Journey (Welsh National Opera MAX), Cardboard Dad (Sherman Cymru), Miss Brown To You (Hijinx Theatre), Brute (Operating Theatre Company), Orange (Sgript Cymru) and was part of Paines Plough’s Come To Where I’m From tour.
He has worked extensively with WNO’s MAX department and is a new writing tutor with Sherman Cymru.
Designer
Buddug James Jones
creative collaborators during development
Vreni May, Shaena Brandel, Jaakko Tenhunen, Kylie Anne Smith, Becky Brynolf, John-Paul Zaccarini
Crashmat Collective are supported by Arts Council of Wales & Arts Council of England and this production is in association with Wales Millennium Centre, The Riverfront and Creu Cymru.
A big thank you to NoFit State Circus for their ongoing support and good will and to Circus Futures and Organised Chaos.