Angela de Castro has been performing since she was 17 years old, beginning in her native Brazil where she was a well known actress in theatre, film and television, and director of her own theatre company. She was a member of the original cast of the groundbreaking show ‘Macunaima’ (1977-1980), which changed the face of Brazilian theatre and played to an audience of over ˝ million people in Brazil alone, as well as touring internationally for over two years.
In 1986 de Castro moved to London to pursue her dream to study, perform and reclaim theatre clowning as a modern art form. She has toured the UK and internationally with the major contemporary theatre and circus companies and is now well known as a teacher of her master class ‘How To Be A Stupid’ or ‘The Art of Creative Intelligence’.
Angela de Castro recent performing work could be seen in ‘Under Glass’, by the Clod Ensemble (London), ‘Laughing Matters’, by A de Castro, work in progress, Battersea Arts Centre London, Bristol Old Vic, Bristol and Jyvaskyla Festival Finland, ‘Luz Nas Trevas’ future length film (Brazil), ‘Futurology’ a National Theatre Scotland, Suspect Culture Theatre Co and Brighton Festival (UK), Ionesco’s ‘The New Tenant’ for the Young Vic Theatre (UK) and is well known for her clown Rough, the green clown, in the award winning Slava’s ‘Snowshow’. She creates and tours her own shows under her own company Contemporary Clowning Projects. Her shows include ‘The Gift’ , ‘My Life Is Like A Yo Yo’, ‘only fools, no horses’ (a show about the Shakespearean Fools). ‘Laughing Matters’ and her clown opera ‘Alleluia’, are projects in development.
Angela de Castro is one of the most loved women clown. She is a leading theatre practitioner, actor, theatre clown, teacher, director and speaker. Her performances and methodology have been well recognised in the UK and abroad, awarding her, among a few, a Lawrence Olivier Award (UK). ,the Golden Nose Award (Spain), the Nesta Dreamtime Fellowship, an Arts Foundation Fellowship and an International Fellowship by Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for her contribution on the art of clowning.
Clowning is a life’s passion and way of life for de Castro. She doesn’t stop working. She is completely dedicated and committed to her work. She is always working on shows, directing and mentoring other companies, developing her own clowns’ personas and learning how to play the ukulele. When she has some free time, she can be seen browsing around street markets, riding her beloved motorbike and feeding the ducks in the park near her house.
RECENT MAJOR THEATRE PERFORMANCES:
2009De Castro performed and toured extensively with The Right Size (1994), Ra Ra Zoo (1991-2) and Mummerandada (1988 -1990). She has performed at many international festivals in the UK (including Edinburgh Festival and London Mime Festival), in Europe (including in Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Spain and France) and in South America (including in Brazil and Colombia). She has toured over 29 countries
‘Laughing Matters’
scratch performance
written and directed by Angela de Castro
Burst Festival - Battersea Arts Centre, London, England
Jyvaskylan Kesa International Theatre Festival
Jyvaskylan – Finland
Bristol Jam – Bristol Old Vic, Bristol, England
‘Under Glass’
by The Clod Ensemble
dir: Suzy Wilson
composer and music director: Paul Clark
produced by The Clod Ensemble
Sadler’s Wells Off-Site Theatre at the Village Underground, London, England
2008
‘Laughing Matters’
scratch performance
written and directed by Angela de Castro
Battersea Arts Centre
London, England
2007
Futurology
by David Grieg and Dan Rebellato
dir: Graham Eatough
produced by National Theatre Scotland, Suspect Culture Theatre Co. and Brighton Int.
Festival touring Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and The Brighton Theatre Festival.
The Road
written and directed by Angela de Castro
Encontro Internatcional de Palhaços `Anjos do Picadeiro` Salvador, Bahia, Brazil2006
only fools (no horses)
by Sarah Woods from an original idea by Angela de Castro
dir. John Wright
The Corn Exchange – Newbury
New Wolsey Theatre – Ipswich
Lighthouse – Poole
The Chester Gateway Theatre – Chester
Stagehands
created and directed by Angela de Castro
Anjos do Picadeiro, Clowns and Physical Theatre Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.2005
Yikes - development week
by Bryony Lavery, dir. Rebecca Gatward
Unicorn Theatre, London, England
Father Christmas and The Last Present – development week
by A de Castro and John Wright
Polka Theatre, London England
2004
The New Tenant
Ionesco, dir. Alex Murdoch
The Young Vic Theatre, London, England
The Exception and the Rule
Brecht, dir. Jan-Willem van den Bosch
The Young Vic, London, England
2003
only fools (no horses) work-in-progress
show concept by Angela de Castro.
Writer: Sarah Woods, Dir: John Wright
Riverside Studios, London, England
The Road
written and directed by Angela de Castro Open ceremony, 1st International Festival of Women Clowns Andorra la Velha, Andorra2002
My Life Is Like A Yo Yo
Writer: Bryony Lavery based on the stories and poems of Angela de Castro
Dir. Gail Kelly. UK tour.
6 months tour around UK and Ireland2001
My Life Is Like A Yo Yo
by Angela de Castro.
Scratch nights, Battersea Arts Centre, London, England
Oh Carols! by the HaHarmonics
Clown choir, dir. Angela de Castro.
The Globe, Covent Garden Plaza, Brixton Town Centre Christmas lights opening ceremony, Phoenix Arts centre Leicester, Theatre Royal Winchester.
Stagehands
created and directed by Angela de Castro
WOMAD Festival, Reading, England.2000
Stagehands
created and directed by Angela de Castro
Anjos do Picadeiro, Clowns and Physical Theatre Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Stagehands
created and directed by Angela de Castro
Festival du Pallases, Andorra.
Opening Ceremony of Anjos do Picadeiro
Written and directed by Angela de Castro
Clown and Physical Theatre Festival. Teatro Glauce Rocha , Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Body
devised work directed by Suzy Wilson
The Clod Ensemble. Battersea Arts Centre, London, UK.
Souza
created and directed by Angela de Castro
‘Xuxu Convida’. Circo Voador, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil1996-99
Snowshow
Slava Polunin Company
Tour in England including London West End ( Piccadilly Theatre, The Old Vic Theatre and Saddlers Wells Theatre) and The Edinburgh Festival - Assembly Rooms, King’s Theatre - Edinburgh, Glasgow Mayfest, Gaiety Theatre - Dublin , Cork Theatre Festival - Ireland, as well as extensive tour in USA and Canada1998
‘The Gift’ Solo Show
created by Angela de Castro dir.: Jos Houben
The Barbican Centre - London, The Oxford Playhouse - Oxford1995-96
Snowshow
UK Tour, including: Hackney Empire Theatre.
International Tour: Ireland, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, and Colombia.1995
The Teeth
Walk & Squawk Theatre Company
Ann Arbour & Detroit, USA1991-95
The Gift
Solo show devised and directed by Angela de Castro. A work in progress, premiered in 1991 and developed over UK and International Tours.
