Name: Edd Casey
Programme: BA (Hons.) European Theatre Arts
Graduated: 2012
Current role: Co-artistic director Hikapee & Performer NoFit State Circus
After graduating from BA (Hons) European Theatre Arts (ETA) I became a many titled person.
I am Edd Casey: Co-Artistic Director of Hikapee, Co-Founder of The Same, But Different, aerialist, actor, ensemble performer, the list could go on… And I love the different pathways I follow at the same time!
Whilst training on ETA, I spent some of my second year abroad studying at Estonia’s leading Drama School (Eesti Muusika- Ja Teatriakadeemia) in Tallinn, Estonia. It was here that I first tried aerial circus and realised I was quite fond of hanging upside down. When I graduated I began evening classes in several aerial disciplines, and eventually became so addicted that I completed a full time course with AirCraft Circus at The Hangar Arts Trust.
I began my journey into circus with my partner Bryony Livesey (an ATA graduate) and together we set up Hikapee, a company focused on using aerial circus within theatre.
In 2014 Hikapee performed their first show, Moonfall. It was a two-hander, put together with little time & a non-existent budget (which ETA prepared me for well!) Then in 2016, Hikapee toured HOME, an outdoor show taking place on and in a house built of scaffolding poles. This was a physical theatre and circus-filled performance with four performers & an interactive installation for audience members to explore. We have also worked on other collaborations, including with fellow ETA graduate company Limb2Limb, performing a ‘promenade’ version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a park, using aerial circus equipment rigged from trees. Hikapee are currently focusing on redeveloping Moonfall, with the support of Jacksons Lane & Theatre Delicatessen, preparing it for tour in Autumn/Winter 2017.
By setting up my own company I have learnt so much, from artistic exploration, to writing contracts, managing budgets, applying for funding and even driving large vans (which in turn has resulted in getting me sporadic work as a driver for Punchdrunk!)
Alongside running Hikapee, since 2015 I have also worked with NoFit State Circus, in their show Bianco (touring to Europe, Hong Kong, New York, and in winter 2016/17 London’s Southbank). In the show I perform with rope, trapeze, counterweighting and all sorts of other things!
It was when I auditioned for NoFit State that everything I’d learnt during my time on ETA really became apparent. Many other auditionees had several years more experience in training their circus technique than I did, but my training at Rose Bruford came through as an invaluable asset. ETA prepared me so well for being different performance styles and for feeling at home in audition workshops ranging in formats and flavours.
Useful links:
BA (Hons) European Theatre Arts
Hikabee Theatre
NoFit State