ALEX KANEFSKY - Artistic Director (performer/writer/deviser)

Alex Kanefsky is a writer, performer and theatre practitioner with a love for all things ‘story’. Since graduating with a drama degree from Exeter University in 2006 he has worked with numerous theatre companies including the critically acclaimed iceandfire Theatre, Horse and Bamboo, Sputnik Theatre, Infectious, Merkavah, Changing Faces, Theatre Exchange, CulturePot Global, and Exchange Theatre. He is Artistic Director of Paper Balloon Theatre Company, which he co-founded in 2011 with the vision to create great storytelling theatre for, with and by young people. He wrote the script for Paper Balloon’s founding show ‘Night Light’ (2011).
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Alex has worked extensively with young people as a freelance arts facilitator in schools and extra-curricular programmes across England, and with the Discover Storytelling Centre, London. In addition to writing and performing for the stage, Alex also creates TV and radio comedy with the Kaylosia Comedy collective (Cofilmic Comedy Film Festival Audience Award Winners: Best Sketch 2012: ‘Posh Off’). Alex is passionate about developing exciting, challenging and funny work that is transportive yet accessible for young audiences.

DORIE KINNEAR - Associate Artist (performer/deviser)

Dorie Kinnear-Pinchin is an actor, devisor, director, movement director, dancer and mask maker. She is the co-artistic director of Grafted Cede Theatre, founded in 2007 with Will Pinchin. Dorie trained at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) where she received an MFA in 2006. She also holds a BA from the University of California, Irvine, which she received in 2004. She is currently training to teach the Alexander Technique and will be awarded her STAT certificate in 2015.

Dorie’s acting and devising credits include: Grafted Cede Theatre’s first production, Nobody’s Home: A Modern Odyssey (UK and USA tour) and Making Faces (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London); Tam Lin (London’s Wilding Festival); Paper Balloon’s Night Light (New Diorama Theatre, London) and Tea Time Tales (Pegasus Theatre, Oxford); Theatre Témoin’s Jukai (UK and USA); Theatre Amoeba’s Rooftops (Theatrical Days of Chefchaouen (JTC), Morocco); Swazzled Theatre’s That’s The Way To Do It (Brighton Fringe Festival) and Small Corners (Camden Peoples Theatre, London); Compagnie Les Planches’ Barbe Bleue Camden Peoples Theatre, London); Blu Canyon Collective’s CDQ/SOS (Sound Symposium, Newfoundland, Canada); and Infectious Theatre’s Icy Sparks (Performing the World Conference, New York). Directing credits include Theatre Témoin’s The Meaning of Wife. Movement direction credits include Infectious Theatre’s Raven Boy (Jacksons Lane, London).

Dorie has built and created original masks for numerous theatre companies and for a short independent film. Dorie has facilitated workshops internationally, exploring principals within physical theatre, devising techniques as well as movement analysis.
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She is also an avid dancer who has taught and performed African dance with Higher Movement and Central Coast Afro Rhythm and Dance in San Luis Obispo, California.

DARREN CLARK - Associate Artist (composer/lyricist)

Darren Clark is an award winning composer and lyricist. His work has been performed in London’s West End, The Edinburgh Fringe and at leading theatres throughout the UK.

His musical The Wicker Husband won the 2016 Musical Theatre International Stiles & Drewe Mentorship Award.

​He is a three time finalist in The Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Award, winning runner up in 2015. His songs have won three awards at the Iris Theatre XMAS Factor Best New Song Award, including the Audience Award, the Iris Panel Award and Runner up Audience Award.

Darren was a finalist in the Cameron Mackintosh Composer in Residence 2015 and the Kevin Spacey Artist of Choice Award.

Darren's most recent work includes commissions from the Nuffield Theatre and the Lyric Hammersmith. Darren wrote  music and lyrics for the critically acclaimed 'These Trees Are Made of Blood' that played to sell out audiences at Southwark Playhouse in 2015. Other work includes music for 'Our Friends the Enemy' (UK Tour, Off Broadway), The Ministry of Stories' (CBBC) and songs for 'The Scarecrows Wedding' (UK Tour, Leicester Square Theatre).