Last week, we joined thousands of others from across the sector to show our support of the ‘We Make Events’ campaign. Venues and companies across the world lit up their buildings and spaces in red to show their support, with hashtags such as #RedAlert and #FreelancersMakeTheatreWork. The campaign urges our Government to not forget the live events and arts industries, but to see them as an essential part of society, and provide the support needed until a time when we can return in full. A time when we can once again come together to entertain, delight, inspire, intrigue, provoke and feel alive…
We are so grateful to have a wonderful family of artists, freelancers and creatives who are an essential part of Highly Sprung. This week, we want to shine our own light on the team who make our work possible.
Vortex Creates are long term partners and co-creators with Highly Sprung. Vortex is led by the dynamic duo Marianne Taviner and Nicola Richardson who are specialists in transforming spaces and large-scale costume – visit their website to see brilliant examples of their work. A little-known fact is that Mark and Sarah first met Nicola at Coventry University a whole 21 years ago! We have worked together on a number of projects including the magical show Lost Gift, Traveling Treasury and the hugely successful library project Fantastic Fun with Words, that toured Warwickshire libraries for a number of years. Vortex have also collaborated on Professor Coerium’s Heart Emporium, Up, Up and Away, Tree, Transmission, Urban Astronaut and our walkabout show The Faeries.
Entify provides puppets, costume, sets, props, art installations and exhibition pieces to theatres, touring festival producers, art galleries, museums and events. Entify is led by the amazing Deborah Mingham, who has worked with us over a number of projects: Professor Egg n Egg, Urban Astronaut, for which she designed Hope’s rig, and with our Sprung Advance in the creation of our climbing frame for Seen But Never Heard. Excitingly, Entify will be collaborating with us on our brand new touring piece Castaway in 2021!
Tom Haines is a UK-based composer, drummer and educator specialising in bespoke composition and sound design for dance, and music performance. He has created original sound scores for our outdoor work such as the memorable Home in 2019, and our new project Castaway. He has also created more soundscapes for our more intimate story telling experiences, such as the Lost Gift in 2015.
Arnim Friess is a lighting designer amongst other things. Arnim first worked with us on The Physical Fellowship lighting 13 different shows during the space of 1 week! Arnim has gone on to work with us on more and more projects as his designs and approach to lighting a performance inspires us continually. Look out for some more collaborations heading your way soon. Other projects Arnim has worked on include Up, Up and Away, Professor Coerium’s Heart Emporium, Tree and One Giant Leap.
Jon Randle has been an important part of the Highly Sprung team for a number of years. His film work in documenting the variety and depth of our projects has been vital in how we share work with a wider audience. Jon has a great understanding of the way in which Highly Sprung create work, which is integral to the film making process. We recently worked with Jon on our Castaway R & D, for which he created a brilliant set of films for a digital sharing. Jon also edited the phenomenal, full-length film of Home which we shared all the way back at the start of lockdown. Other projects he has helped us with include Professor Coerium’s Heart Emporium, Tree , The Physical Fellowship and One Giant Leap.
Emily Robertson a key part of Highly Sprung, delivering on all of our major projects as both a performer and workshop leader. Emily is a leader of our Sprung Classes and a vital cog in the machine that delivers high quality projects and experiences for children and young people. She has also performed and taught for Highly Sprung across the world in Spain, Germany and China. As well as performing in countless pieces of work, Emily has also been a choreographer for multiple projects including Up, Up and Away, Home and for The Physical Fellowship.
Our Associate Artists and Crew are an integral part of Highly Sprung. Much of what we would is not possible without their support and talents. We want to thank them for their energy and enthusiasm for our work and the message behind it; that is what makes a them members of the Highly Sprung Team. We are so grateful every time we work with them and our thoughts are with them at this tricky time. Their skills and talents are far too good to be left behind or forgotten.
A big shout-out to:
John Carter
Emily Hewlett
Frankie Hickman