Fantasy is defined as-
"The faculty or activity of imagining things that are impossible or improbable"
Which is obviously the reason I am so in love with it. I mean who wouldn't want to live in a world where the impossible can become possible and you are only limited by your imagination?!!...
It is a theme that comes out of my very core and something (luckily) I am able to fully embrace in my profession, from the outfits I wear, to the characters I become and finally the performances I give... but where did it all start?
As a child, watching Jim Henson's Labyrinth was my first voyage into a fantastical world- I fell in love with it straight away, and never wanted to leave. Films like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal seemed so amazing to me- I fully believed in these places and creatures as they were expertly brought to life through costume, performance and puppetry. I watched them over and over until I new all the words and started to do impressions of all the characters (still a good party-trick of mine!).
Since then I have learned to love them on a whole new level, through studying media and film making. When you actually understand everything that goes into making films like these, you realise how incredible they really are. It all starts from the pure power of imagination, in this case the truly wonderful brains of Jim Henson and Brian Froud.
The concept design work by Brian Froud is simply incredible I urge anyone who is a fan of the films, or fantasy as a whole, to delve a bit deeper here:
http://www.worldoffroud.com/about/index.php
But most of all (and especially) in my magic. Where it not only my passion but my actual job to bring back that childhood sense of wonder and imagination, creativity and intrigue, and sometimes, if you're very lucky.....bulging tights!
After deciding I wanted to perform at some festivals this year I started looking for all things weird and wonderful and eventually stumbled across make believe... I couldn't believe what I was reading-
"Alongside an exciting line up of live music, breath-taking performances & wondrous artwork, Make Believe promises to reawaken the imaginative playful side of festival experiences. With its emphasis on transporting its audience to strange altered histories and enchanted realms for them to discover and explore themselves. The Make Believe Festival is a rabbit hole into a universe of stories."
It is here that I will be bringing my whimsical wizardry to the wanderers and muggles of this fantastic festival..
If you can't tell already I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT EXCITED!
Check out the full details and all the info here:
http://www.makebeliever.info/index.html