Gwen Hales

One foot in circus, one foot in outdoor arts, and one foot in theatre.

I’m a Bristol-based director, choreographer, consultant and mentor.

Having worked in the theatre, circus & outdoor arts sectors for over 25 years, I bring all that experience into my role as a director or co-collaborator on a project. I’m passionate about making work for outdoor and non-ticketed/free-to-attend events, and I want to use my skills in dramaturgy, stagecraft, and physical storytelling to help create the best experiences possible – both for the audience and for the performers themselves.

In a previous life, I have worked as an aerialist, a street performer, a fire-eater and a clown. I stopped touring with tented circuses in 2003 to focus on building a freelance career in street performance and narrative circus-theatre. I now collaborate with UK circus & theatre companies, specialising in creating performance work that crosses the boundaries between skills and narrative.

In addition to my freelance work, I run two companies: Circii (family-friendly, comedic physical theatre for outdoor events) and Juggling Inferno (high-skill, choreographed fire performances).

Mainly an autodidact, I ventured into academia in 2018, gaining a Masters degree in Directing Circus at Circomedia/Bath Spa University.

Over the past few pandemicky years, I’ve directed two full-length shows, one outdoor (Farmyard Circus) and one indoor (Sexual Health Circus), and was assistant director on a site-specific outdoor promenade show (Hansel & Gretel) for Christmas 2021. In 2020 I created a city-wide covid-safe street theatre event with local walkabout performers entertaining their own neighbourhoods (The Bristol Coddywomple). For five years running, I’ve co-coordinated the Bath Fringe New Work Works Artist Development Scheme. Set up to support step-changes for street arts performers, I lead a team of expert mentors in running workshops and ‘show surgeries’ aimed at emerging artists or artists wanting to try something different in the outdoor realm. In addition to the above, I’ve worked on the following productions in various roles: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, West Yorkshire Playhouse/The Bridge Theatre/Gillian Lynne, 2017, 2019, 2021 (aerial director) Drac & Jill, Wardrobe Theatre, 2019, 2022 (aerial director) Peter Pan, Bristol Old Vic/National Theatre/Troubadour, 2012, 2016, 2019 (aerial director) The Borrowers, Tobacco Factory Theatre, 2018 (circus director) The Selfish Giant, Soap Soup/Tessa Bide, 2018 (‘clambering about’ director) Angels in America, National Theatre, 2017 (aerial director) La Strada, Belgrade Theatre/Kenny Wax Ltd/Cambridge Arts Theatre/Bristol Old Vic, 2017 (circus consultant) Betwixt & Between/Contra-Diction by CirqOn the Seam, 2016 (director) Hetty Feather, Kenny Wax, 2014-18 (aerial director) Sinbad, Tobacco Factory Theatre, 2014 (aerial consultant) Flown by Pirates of the Carabina, 2011-15 (performer/co-creator)