Christopher Davies is a director, writer and educator and a keen student of linguistics and non-verbal language. He is continually seeking ways in which we can improve our methods of communication with young people for whom making themselves understood is a daily and life-long challenge. His work is informed by three fundamental beliefs:
- that it is his job as an artist and educator to provide all young people with the means to find their own voice.
- that young people of all abilities and disabilities flourish when we remove the judgement from the educative process and enable them to find their own agenda in an environment free from fear
- that all young people know more than we think they do, are capable of more than they think they are and have the capacity to surprise us all
Christopher taught in primary schools for 13 years before spending an inspiring year at The Central School of Speech and Drama in London. He then joined the Leicestershire Drama Advisory Service where he ran courses for teachers, worked in special schools and set up youth theatres for students with learning difficulties. He has tutored on Leicester University’s MA drama course, run INSET courses nationally and led training workshops for many organisations including The National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Imperial War Museum. As a director he has created work for the London and Edinburgh Fringe and toured internationally. In 1994 he set up Bamboozle Theatre Company with Sue Pyecroft.
As co-artistic director Christopher:
- is developing Bamboozle’s “ways to engage students with Autism” programme
- works with school staff to change the culture of creativity in the school
- facilitates Bamboozle’s residencies for schools and families,
- writes and directs the company’s touring shows
- runs the acclaimed training programme
- produces resources for use in schools including the books:
”Creating Multi-Sensory Environments – Ideas for Teaching and Learning”
“Dramatic Starts – 17 ways to start a drama session with SEN students”.
Sue Pyecroft is a puppeteer, artist, teacher and theatre designer. She has taught art and design at secondary level and theatre design and puppetry as an advisory teacher. Having studied visual arts at Bretton Hall Sue became involved in community arts and theatre where she developed skills in theatre design and puppetry. She has designed for Leicestershire TIE Company, the Leicester Haymarket Theatre and touring productions in the UK and Europe. As an advisory teacher she ran teacher courses and established the Leicestershire Puppet Centre taking productions to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She has designed and built giant puppets and structures for carnival parades in Sheffield and Leicester.
Sue’s puppets are a key feature of Bamboozle’s touring work Where The Wild Things Are [2010] and Crazy Hair [2011]. They have also been seen recently in Bamboozle’s collaboration with the National Theatre’s production of War Horse [2007], and in Curve Theatre’s productions: His Dark Materials [2009], Dolly [New Perspectives 2010] and The King and I [2010]. She is currently working with New Perspectives on Michael Morpurgo’s Butterfly Lion making lions, snakes and hyenas and on the Curve and Dragon’s Breath collaboration of Gulliver.
Sue is developing Bamboozle’s programme of work with students on the Autism spectrum.
