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"Improbable is one of the brilliant faces of British Theatre"
The Observer
Meet the Associate Artists
Improbable has been proud to collaborate with a range of talented creatives. These are just some of them.
Kevin Pollard
Costume Designer
Kevin first worked with Improbable nearly 20 years ago on 'The Government Inspector', and ' A Midsummer Night's Dream'. He then designed the costumes for multi award winning 'Shockheaded Peter'. Followed by the hugely Successful 'Satyagraha', a co-production with ENO and the Metropolitan Opera New York. The world premier of 'The Enchanted Island' followed this at the Met. His most recent collaboration with Improbable was to design the costumes for 'Beauty and the Beast'. Kevin has also worked in film and television and won the critics choice award for best design in Scotland 2013 for work on 'Menage a Trois' for Scottish National Theatre. Visit his website here.
Nick Powell
Composer
In addition to Improbable, Nick has worked extensively with companies including the National Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Court. He works closely with dramatists Anthony Neilson and David Greig and Spanish director Andres Lima. He also writes for screen including BAFTA winnersBeneath The Veil and Death In Gaza. He was co-composer for BBC3's Lip Service and scored the Spanish feature Dispongo De Barcos. He also scored three films by visual artist Phil Collins. Nick has toured and recorded with many bands and is one half of OSKAR, who have produced live music for PRADA shows in Milan, exhibited installations at the V&A and CCA Glasgow and produced two albums: Air Conditioning and LP:2. Visit OSKAR's website here.
Rachael Spence
Actress
Rachael is an actress and theatre maker who trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama and with Philippe Gaulier. She has worked regularly with Improbable over the last ten years performing in No Idea, The Wolves in the Walls, Theatre of Blood andThe Hanging Man. She has also worked for The National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Globe, and many other regional and international theatres and companies. Her television and radio credits include The Lost Honour of Christopher Jeffries(ITV directed by Roger Michell); Thirteen (BBC), Eastenders (BBC) and The Best Of Men (BBC); Pilgrim and Filthy Rich (Radio Four). Rachael is currently developing several new projects with fellow Improbable associate artist Lisa Hammond, including a re-tour of NO IDEA. They have also recently been commissioned to make a Comedy Blap for Chanel Four. See her full credits here.
Rob Thirtle
Performer
As a performer and maker, Rob has worked regularly with Improbable. Productions include Dr Faustus, The Government Inspector, Sticky, Panic, The Devil & Mister Punch and Satyagraha. He has also toured extensively with Trickster Theatre, MTP, Company Gavin Robertson, and the Right Size. TV/Film includes Gerry Anderson’s Space Precinct,Brum, The Phantom Menace, Return to Oz,Numberjacks and Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. Rob also appears annually in the Salzburg Festival’s 2013 production of Jedermann, designed by Julian Crouch. As assistant director, productions include ceremonies for 2002 Commonwealth Games and Liverpool City of Culture, Spymonkey’s Moby Dick, Johnny Vegas’Interiors, Armstrong & Miller Live and Jerry Springer the Opera (NT & West End).
Leo Warner
Director at 59 Productions
Leo is one of the founding directors of 59 Productions - one of the world’s leading companies specializing in video and projection design for stage and live event environments. Since co-founding the company in 2006, Leo and the 59 team have taken leading creative roles on more than 100 shows across the world at venues including The Royal Opera House, The National Theatre, The Royal Court, The Young Vic, English National Opera, The Metropolitan Opera (New York) and theatre festivals in Salzburg, Berlin and Avignon. Over the last decade, 59 Productions has established itself as a heavyweight collaborator on a range of theatre, opera, fine art, dance and film projects. Visit 59 Production's website here.
Alex Murdoch
Alex Murdoch is an actor, writer and improvisor. Her company Cartoon de Salvo toured theatre and lead workshops for 20 years nationally and internationally. As a writer she’s been commissioned by National Theatre Wales, is mentored by award-winning writer Chris Thorpe and is currently under commission to the RSC, with another seed-commission to NTW. She was awarded a place on 2017 Jerwood/Arvon scheme and was 2018 Writer in Residence at Theatr Clwyd. Beyond the Salvo’s she’s performed with Kneehigh, LIFT Festival, New International Encounter, Comedy Store Players, BBC and Young Vic. For Improbable she has improvised in Animo, Lifegame and Permission Improbable. She co-led Improbable's Generations project with Guy Dartnell, and she also facilitates for the Devoted and Disgruntled Open Space events. Her website is here www.alexmurdoch.co.uk
Angela Clerkin
Actor & writer
Angela is an actor, writer and theatre maker. With Improbable she performed in Panic, Lifegame, Animo, and Cinderella. Other acting credits include productions at the Traverse, The Barbican, Sydney Opera House, The National Theatre, Edinburgh Lyceum, The Young Vic and The Old Vic. Visit here website here.
Guy Dartnell
Artist, filmmaker & voice-movement
Guy Dartnell is an international award winning performance artist, filmmaker and voice-movement artist. His Improbable work includes 70 Hill Lane, Spirit, Lifegame, Coma, Animo and The Bear. He’s made five solo shows: Something Or Nothing, Unsung, Bottle, Travels With My Virginity and Would Say Something, was part of Lone Twin Theatre’s team for The Catastrophe Trilogy and is co-director of Oogly Boogly, a movement based event for babies. Visit Guy's website here.
Stella Duffy
Director, improviser and performer
Stella Duffy is the founder and co-director of Fun Palaces and director, improviser and performer, and artistic director of Shaky Isles Theatre. She has written thirteen novels, fifty short stories, and ten plays. Her work has been longlisted for the Orange Prize, and she has won CWA Short Story Dagger. Her work has been adapted for a feature film and there is talk of a mini-series with HBO. Visit her website here.
Philip Eddolls
Designer
A respected designer, Phil has been involved in over 300 productions across theatre, opera, rock and roll, ballet and site specific one-off events. His Improbable work includes Beauty and the Beast and The Hanging Men, for which Phil jointly won a TMA Award for Best Design. Other work includes shows at Bristol Old Vic, Wiltons Music Hall (for Dracula, winner of Sky Arts Award 2014) and Sadler’s Wells. Visit his website here.
Colin Grenfell
Lighting Designer
Coling has been lighting shows for over 20 years. He collaborated with Improbable from the early days, dating back to 70 Hill Lane and Animo and working on Beauty and the Beast, No Idea, Panic, Theatre of Blood, Spirit, The Hanging Man, Lifegame, Coma, and The Still. As well as being resident lighting designer at Opera Holland Park, lighting over 30 operas, his work has taken him from the Southbank Centre to Sydney Opera House, Off Broadway and beyond. Visit his website here.
Mark Grimmer
Creative Director
As Creative Director and founder of Fifty Nine Productions Mark has designed video projections for National Theatre (where he is an Associate), the Royal Opera House, The ENO, The Metropolitan Opera New York, Sadler’s Wells, the V&A and the Royal Ballet. Mark is also an acclaimed filmmaker and has film and television projects in development with Comedy Central, Film 4, Clerkenwell Films and Eleven Film. Visit his website here.
Lisa Hammond
Co-creator
Lisa's Theatre credits include:"No Idea” One of the Co-creators as part of the Associate Artist programme with Improbable-Young vic and national/international tour, “Too clever by half” Told by an idiot, "Beauty and the beast" Told by an idiot, "The little locksmith" one woman show in US, "The Hanging Man" Improbable, national/ international tour, "The Super Slash Naughty XXXMas Story" Wiltons Music Hall, “Shoot me in the heart” Told by an idiot national/international tour, "The Adventures Of The Stoneheads" The National Theatre/Trestle. Lisa is currently appearing as a regular character in “Eastenders” BBC, “Vera” ITV, "Patricia" Sky Atlantic, "One Night” BBC, "Psychoville” BBC (2 series). See her work here.
Nick Haverson
Actor
Nick trained at Lamda. He has worked extensively in theatre around the country, including time with Alan Ayckbourn at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough and John Godber at Hull Truck. Over the last few years he joined Improbable touring productions internationally, including The Hanging Man, Satyagraha, Theatre of Blood, and The Devil And Mr Punch. Most recent television credits include Scott & Bailey, Eastenders, Tales Of The Old Bailey (series),New Tricks, Ashes To Ashes and Spooks. Hils filmwork includes Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd, Hilary and Jackie, Susie Gold, the animated film Tales Of Despereux and the new Muppet movie Muppets Most Wanted.
