Meet the professionals: Apples & Angels
David Reakes
David played "Pete".
David is a co-founder of Tor Theatre, with whom he regularly tours shows that include The Fire Catcher, Cinderella II, The Rum Tale Of The Moonfleet Diamond and The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner. Other South West based outfits he has worked for include Common Players: The Tuck Inn, Promenade Promotions, Show of Strength Theatre Company and Viv Gordon Company. He recently worked a five month stint with the BBC Radio Drama Company.
Leela Bunce
Leela played "Babs".
Leela is an actor and clown based in Somerset. Her big passion is making meaningful, quirky, affecting theatre that shines a light on untold stories. Leela has twice been shortlisted for a London Cabaret Award.
Here in Somerset, she is one-half of Shoebox Theatre Company with Ged Stephenson, and their devised duo clown show The Library of Lost Memories, which explored dementia, toured the South West in 2019.
lucy harrington
Lucy played "Other Babs".
Lucy is a physical performer with a nose for fun and a love of searching for the extra in the ordinary, every day. She trained with the world’s grumpiest French man, Philippe Gaulier and has worked extensively in outdoor and indoor theatre, radio with a little dabble in TV and film thrown in for good measure. She sometimes makes her own work and is best known for ‘Nincompoop’ her own theatre company that specialises in finding and shining a light on the nonsense hiding everywhere.
richard holt
Richard played "Other Pete".
When travel was allowed, he worked in Minneapolis, USA, where he played Mr Popper in the family musical Mr Popper's Penguins. In fact, a large proportion of his work has been in plays with music or a capella singing, such as the West End run and UK tour of Swallows and Amazons, The Tobacco Factory Theatres' The Light Princess, Insane Root's open air Romeo and Juliet last summer, and quite a few more to boot!
He has worked extensively with Les Enfants Terribles Theatre Company, most notably on the Olivier nominated Alice's Adventures Underground as the Mad Hatter, returning as Company Associate in 2017.
Visit richardholt.co.uk to find out more.
Imogen played "Other Lil".
Imogen had great fun making a film for BARN and Wassail’s One-Minute Theatre Festival in lockdown and was thrilled to the core to be frolicking about in the beautiful apple orchards of Burrow Hill.
Imogen’s work in the West Country includes the Echo Project by Theatre Mélange (as Associate Artist), with shows in and about Minehead, Watchet and Burnham-on-Sea and Out of the Mouth of the Parrett in Bridgwater; Talking Heads: Bed Among the Lentils with The Uncommon Players; Mrs Macbeth’s Hostile Bid and A Christmas Carol with Common Players: The Tuck Inn; The Snow Queen at the The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre; Broadbent at Bristol Old Vic Studio; and many more.
anthony clements
Anthony was Production Manager.
Anthony mostly drinks apple-based drinks and can remember his Granny once saying that he had been an Angel, so he knew straight away that this was the perfect production for him.
He spent 14 years at the Royal Albert Hall as Event Manager managing shows such as the BBC Proms, Cirque Du Soleil, ENB Swan Lake, and Lady Gaga to name just a few.
Since then, he has embarked on a year's travel around Spain to spend more time with his new family, been the Production Manager for the worldwide tour of the art/science installation Pollution Pods by artist Michael Pinsky, and Stage Manager for Yorke Dance's 20 UK tour.
In June 2022 he is producing his own music festival 'SIGNALS'.
joanna procter
Joanna was Director.
Joanna has over 30 years’ experience working in mainstream and community theatre. She is Co-Director of Reveal Productions.
Whether directing professional performers and creatives, or with non-actors in community settings, she aims to develop their theatre skills, devising shows together and rehearsing the actors to achieve high standards.
She's a Wassail Veteran, having directed 3 runs of ‘The Somerset Charabanc’ performed on a Miller's cart with audience on board, and ‘Heartbeat’, a lockdown ‘doorstep theatre’ performance delivered in East/West Coker.
julie read
Julie was the Designer.
Julie is an Associate Artist for Wassail, having designed The Giants, The Somerset Charabanc, Pete's Od Day, Plays in the Park, Horses! Horses! and Whispering Willows previously.
Julie trained as a designer at Wimbledon School of Art and, following an extensive career working with small scale, mid scale and large scale touring, was Senior Lecturer in Theatre Design at Yeovil College 1992-2014. Since leaving formal education she has worked with Wassail, Take Art, Pretty Good Girl and Boiling Kettle Theatre Company .
ellie showering
Ellie (they/them) was Composer.
Ellie is a Bristol based singer, performer and composer. Their collaborative work has ranged from intimate shows designed for an audience of one to sold out theatre tours across the UK and Europe. Ellie has worked with many amazing artists and companies including Verity Standen, New International Encounter (NIE), Tobacco Factory Theatres, BBC, and Insane Root.
Ellie is constantly looking for new ways to explore the human voice in their work.
On top of their works in music and theatre, Ellie recently co founded Queer Space Bristol – an organisation dedicated to programming workshops and events for LGBTQIA+ folks in the South West.
asha pathy-barker
Asha was Movement Director.
Asha is a dance performer practitioner based in the South-West of England. Her focus is in contemporary dance - Graham, Release-based techniques.
She has had the opportunity to perform in music productions, installations, and outdoor theatre (including Reveal Productions' “The Red Shoes”), and hosts an on-going series of workshops “World Space Love”.
During her time with Wassail Theatre, she guided movement-based work with the company and also performed the character “Ceamore”, the spirit of the orchards.
