Robyn Olivia studied BA European Theatre Arts, and graduated in 2019. We caught up with Robyn and asked her to share her experiences of studying at Rose Bruford College and how her education has helped her to succeed in the industry.
What did you like most about studying at Rose Bruford College?
I loved the campus at Rose Bruford. The studio spaces were bright, open and with views of the lake, the grounds and the geese. Throughout the warmer months, completing coursework, or rehearsing outside in the grounds always felt creatively liberating. I also really appreciated the core ETA staff team. They were always available for advice or a general chat about what you were studying. As a disabled artist, I also felt supported by staff to follow my interests around disability arts, access and theatre.
How has your course helped you to get to where you are today?
I am now a children’s theatre maker, sensory practitioner and community arts facilitator. I specialise in collaborative ensemble-based theatre with devising and playfulness at its core. In all my projects, I use a combination of clown, puppetry, storytelling, music and sensory theatre to create work that is forward thinking and inclusive, inspired by and working with the communities it was built for. I often work in non-traditional spaces like hospices, secure mental health wards, refugee camps and many more. The course gave me a plethora of artistic skills and the opportunity to pursue the ones that interested me the most. By the end of my degree, I had discovered a passion for accessible puppetry training, sensory theatre and clown. Now I do all three for my career. Most importantly, European Theatre Arts instilled in me the desire to always be curious. Every project I approach as a freelancer I question – what am I learning? How is this helping me develop my practice? That curiosity has been the driving force of my career and ultimately the reason why I find so much joy in the work I do. That’s massively in part to ETA.
What has been the highlight of your career to date?
My creative highlight is my work with The Flying Seagull Project. We are a troupe of circus artists, clowns, performers and musicians taking Play and Performance to where children need it most. In particular, running a workshop for 600 children in a refugee camp in a desert in Jordan was an insane and rewarding challenge. I am now their Sensory and Accessibility Lead and developing a brand new project that combines my skills as an access consultant/ sensory artist with clowning/ circus and play. The project I am directing will aim to take sensory play to the hardest to reach communities with disabilities globally.
How have you stayed connected to Rose Bruford College since graduation?
Since graduating, I often enter a rehearsal room or new project and there’s someone from Rose Bruford College. Whether they were on my course or not, there’s always a wonderful conversation about our experience at Bruford and mutual artists we’ve worked together with. I have collaborated with ETA graduates either as an access consultant/ performer/
puppeteer. I have also kept in touch with many coursemates having creative zoom sessions to chat about ideas and offer advice around career plans.
What would you say to a student who is thinking of applying for your course today?
I thought I wanted to be an actor – but what I really wanted was creative freedom to explore multiple disciplines, create my own work and see how my practice could be used in community settings. European Theatre Arts is the course for taking ownership of your own artistic style and following your passions. Be proactive, follow your interests and remain open to collaboration, the rest will follow!
Pick three words to describe Rose Bruford College
Innovative, exciting, collaborative
Find out more about Robyn
www.theflyingseagullproject.com/