Our Circus250 Team
DR DEA BIRKETT – Director aka Ringmaster
Dea Birkett, a former circus artiste, founded and is Ringmaster of circus production company Circus250, a Community Interest Company. Circus250 co-ordinated the UK and Ireland-wide celebration of 250 years of circus in 2018. An established broadcaster, Dea made Who Killed the Circus? for BBC World Service, an hour-long documentary on the end of Ringling Brothers circus and Circus Days, Circus Nights, an hour-long documentary for Channel 4 on Dea’s experiences of circus work. Dea compiled, introduced and edited the Circus250 Souvenir Programme.
More about Dea
She is also an award-winning writer and journalist, author of seven books including Serpent in Paradise and Off the Beaten Track: Three Centuries of Women Travellers. She is a contributor to the Guardian, Mail on Sunday and a wide range of publications on circus, as well as a regular commentator for the BBC and Irish radio stations. She is Creative Director of ManyRiversFilms, a BAFTA-winning film company, making challenging dramas and documentaries. Dea also founded Kids in Museums, the UK-wide organisation working with museums, galleries and heritage sites to make them more welcoming of children and families – in particular those who have never visited before. She now runs CultureKids Ireland.
Read more: The joy of circus
Dea’s thoughts on circus and creativity:
TONYA LENHART – Producer
Tonya is a Galway-based anthropologist turned theatre maker originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her BA in Sociocultural Anthropology in 2016 and her MA in Theatre Practice and Production from University Galway in 2020. Her passion for anthropology has pushed her to explore humanity through a dramatic lens and she now works as an independent theatre practitioner who has crafted skills as a performer, writer, producer, and stage manager. But recently, Tonya has decided to run away with the circus as one of Circus250’s newest producers.
KATE MORRIS-DOUBLE – Marketing
Kate is marketing manager with a passion for literature and the arts.
She is the owner of KMD Marketing and supports small business owners to grow confident and get strategic about their marketing. Outside of work she’s a big fan of stand-up comedy, swimming and being outdoors.
GINA TREDWELL – Administrator
Gina’s career in arts administration was previously in the live music sector, having spent over a decade working at an international jazz agency. She was excited to make the move over to the circus / theatre world for the first time with Circus250!
When not dealing with artistic logistics, Gina keeps busy sewing, parenting, and occasionally dabbles in directing and writing with her local am-dram group.
AOIFE RALEIGH – Performer
Cast of StrongWomen Science and Daring Dames Cabaret
Aoife Raleigh received her bachelor in Electronic Engineering in 2009 and Master in Sonic Arts in 2010. She has over 4 years of working experience in a variety of engineering fields.
She discovered a special interest in small scale renewable energy, working with the NGO Snulabob in Laos PDR designing and maintaining small scale power generating systems for rural villages.
More about Aoife
After training in a number of international circus schools including the Beijing International School of Art and Escola Rogheillo Rivel Barcelona, Aoife is now an emerging circus artist.
Aoife has a passion for fusing her engineering background with circus and street performance and is currently an Associate Artist with the Creative Climate Action Crumlin Project with which she has developed “What’s Watt”, an interactive roaming performance to engage people on the value of a Watt and how much power it take to make a cup of tea.
MARIA CORCORAN – Performer
Cast of StrongWomen Science
Maria is half of StrongWomen Science and a regular member of Circus250’s company. Maria has been teaching science and circus for seven years. It was during her studies as an environmental scientist that she discovered circus skills. Maria is an expert experienced unicyclist, juggler and acrobat, with a particular interest in clown. She has created a buffoon character called Beryl, who became a YouTube sensation.
Read more: We juggle custard and eat fire to make science fun
MORAG PRUNTY – Performer and Costume Designer
Cast of Am I Irish Yet?
Morag is an all round creative dynamo with broad experience in the world of fashion, contemporary culture and the arts.
She began her working life as a hairdresser in 80s London on the Kings Road and can boast the honour of having touched up Cilla Black’s roots and neutralised Martin Shaw’s (The Professionals) perm.
She fell into writing in her late teens as a storyline deviser for Disney comic books and went on from there to become editor of bestselling UK magazines including more! and Just Seventeen – highlights include launching the career of fledging pop band, Take That.
Morag moved to Ireland in her late twenties to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, but got waylaid into relaunching Irish Tatler magazine. Over the following years she honed her visual skills in conceiving, art directing and styling countless fashion shoots for both publications and commercial clients such as L’Oréal and Toni&Guy.
More about Morag
Morag’s dream to become a writer came true, eventually, and she became New York Times bestselling author, Kate Kerrigan. As Kate, she has published ten novels and been translated into over 20 languages.
Am I Irish Yet? is a hilarious and biting one-woman play by award-winning novelist Kate Kerrigan.
However, after years locked in her shed, writing, Morag is back indulging her love of all things sparkly and gorgeous as Circus 250’s stylist, make-up artist, set designer, glitter-sprinkler, button-sewer, fashion-policeperson, leotard-sourcer and all around glamour-advisor.
ANGELICA SANTANDER – Performer
Cast of Juanita’s Big Problem and Desert Bloom
Angelica is Ireland’s leading female clown. She was the first artistic director of the Dublin Circus Project. She is originally from Chile but has been based in Dublin since 2002. She graduated from the FETAC Technical Theatre course, Inchicore College, 2005 and completed a master’s programme in Theatre Studies, St Patrick’s college Dublin, 2009. She started clowning in 2009 and since then she has participated in the courses Clown Through Mask, and Joey and Auguste, with the renowned teacher Sue Morrison.
Her artistic work combines theatrical, circus, and clowning elements; she strives to create original work that exposes and questions the essence of our humanity in a genuine and compassionate way. Her work explores themes that are relevant to our times, using these to create challenging and inspiring performances, such as Juanita’s Big Problem, an interactive environmental show.
She believes in the transformative power of a performance, where we can see and be seen, be acknowledged, and value our humanity with all its beauty and ridiculousness.
FIONN JESCH – Performer
Cast of Fruity n’ Dishy and Fishy n’ Dishy
Fionn Jesch is a circus performer with a passion for creating playful, interactive experiences that engage audiences of all ages.
Based in Ireland, he specialises in plate spinning, stilt walking, and bubble performance, bringing skill, humour, and a sense of wonder to every event. As Ireland’s only member of AOIBA, the International Bubble Artistes Association, Fionn has been working with bubbles since 2018 and has shared his bubble artistry at festivals, events, and venues both across Ireland and internationally.
Fionn has also supported many international social projects, including work in refugee camps in Greece, where he helped children discover their talents and find joy and hope through the arts.
FRA MARTÒ – Performer
Cast of Out of the Blue and Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
After studying Art History at the University of Bologna, Francesca joined the Circus World, first at Carampa Circus School in Madrid and then graduated in Circus Arts at the National Centre for Circus Arts, London in 2007 and has been working as a performer since then.
She specialized in clowning and juggling with many maestros: Fraser Hooper, Mick Barnfather, Philippe Gaulier, Angela de Castro,…just to name a few.
VICKY LENNIE – Performer and Costume Designer
Cast of Elva Mor
Galway-based Vicky is an artist, costume maker and performer, who trained in illustration at the Glasgow School of Art.
Starting in illustration and then painting, her artistic journey has taken her into the world of circus and spectacle. She now makes costumes for Irish circus companies and street performance, as well as performing herself, mainly on stilts.
Much of her current costume work is fed by her love of history and bringing the past to life in creative ways.
BRUNA JESCH – Performer and Nature’s Secret Circus Tutor
Cast of Fruity n’ Dishy, Fishy n’ Dishy and and Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
Beanie (aka Bruna) is originally from Brazil, now based in Mayo. She started her circus skills at the age of 4 with a broom, after realising she was also quite flexible she started contortion and aerials. With a love for social circus and bringing circus to people who don’t easily have access to it, she has brought circus skills workshops to the west of Ireland and to refugee children living in the camps in Greece.
HANNAH aka FAERIALIST – Performer
Cast of Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
Hannah is an award-winning aerial performer who specialises in aerial hoop and silks. She has trained and performed in the UK, Ireland, Spain, Canada, the USA and Mexico since 2014.
After graduating with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, Hannah joined Caravan Stage Company in 2018, touring across the USA and Canada as an aerialist. She has since worked as a dancer and actor for the BBC and Netflix, and returned to Caravan as an aerialist, singer and choreographer for their 2022 show Virtual Rogues.
POLINA SHAPKINA – Performer
Cast of Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
Polina is a contemporary aerial and fire artist.
Russian-born and Dublin-raised, Polina creates original productions with her company Erebidae Circus as well as a wide range of solo works. Her performances have been presented across Ireland, India, and Thailand. Much of Polina’s artistic practice explores themes of identity and nationality, reflecting her own journey of moving to Ireland at the age of eight.
SUZAN ARAL – Designer
Suzan is responsible for the fabulous printed and on-line design and logos for Circus250. She is the Founder and Managing Director of ARAL ETC, a multidisciplinary design agency specialising in the heritage and culture sectors. Her work covers a broad spectrum of projects from limited edition books to logos, museum trails to exhibition design. Through imprint Crafty Crab, Suzan publishes entertaining, educational children’s activity books that encourage creative responses. Suzan is also a Visiting Lecturer at East Sussex College HE Art & Design Faculty and teaches the Gold Arts Award graphics module at Eastbourne College.
URSULA BURNS – Composer and Musician
Belfast-based harpist and composer Ursula Burns is an award-winning artist celebrated for her unique, flamboyant style that blends Celtic and global influences. Her innovative approach has taken the harp on a dynamic performance journey, from Figurehead to Flying Harp, performing at venues ranging from the Royal Albert Hall to her self-created Cloud Truck Theatre.
Over three decades, she has toured the world with her music and brought the harp on a journey into theatre, dance, comedy and circus. She has performed six shows at the Edinburgh Festival and released seven solo albums.
Her latest, The Secret Melodies of Trees, has garnered global acclaim as a modern masterpiece, redefining contemporary harp music.
SORCHA HEGARTY – Performer
Cast of Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
Sorcha is a Cork born storyteller with over a decade’s experience. In 2014, Sorcha co-founded the storytelling company Candlelit Tales with her brother, Aron, and their podcast currently draws over a thousand listeners each month from around the world.
She has performed live storytelling shows in Canada, Scotland, the USA, and across Ireland. Sorcha has designed collaborative storytelling games, directed VR experiences for heritage sites in Ireland, run storytelling retreats, and continues to seek out performances that let storytelling form a foundation from which spectacle can emerge. Her first book, Celtic Mythology, was published in 2025 by Simon & Schuster.
MARIA DA PAIXÃO – Performer
Cast of Grace: The Story of a Pirate Queen
Maria is a contemporary circus artist whose work blends theatre, dance and circus into performances bursting with character and imagination.
With a background in theatre, her striking walkabout personas include “Galaxy Hula Hooper”, “Devil Hooper” and “The Pirate”. She’s also an accomplished and captivating fire performer.
In recent years, Ireland-based Maria has deepened her practice in aerial performance, as well as specialising in lollipop and pole dance.
Passionate about both artistry and community, she is committed to sharing her craft – bringing fantasy, skill and connection to every performance.
PROFESSOR VANESSA TOULMIN – Historical Advisor
Professor Vanessa is Director of City & Cultural Engagement, Partnerships and Regional Engagement and Chair of Early Film and Popular Entertainment at the University of Sheffield. She founded and was the first director of the National Fairground and Circus Archive. She is recognised as the leading expert of the history of circus worldwide, and authored several books and papers.
Vanessa was one of the women featured in Circus250’s Women in Circus film.
PROFESSOR RAMESH BABU – Scientific Advisor
Ramesh is a scientist and materials expert based at Trinity College Dublin, where he leads research into advanced materials and nanotechnology. His work explores how tiny changes at the molecular level can create new materials with surprising properties and possibilities.
Originally from India, Ramesh has worked in both academia and industry. He now works with researchers, universities and Irish industry to develop new technologies and materials.
Ramesh regularly joins Circus250 as our scientific advisor, helping us uncover the science behind our shows and sharing his expertise and enthusiasm for science with audiences around Ireland.
PETER REYNOLDS – Sound Designer
Peter wrote the music for StrongWomen Science and Frame, and advises Circus250 on their sound. He is a multi-instrumentalist whose work spans 30 years freelance as composer, performer, lyricist, dramaturge and teacher in the fields of circus, physical theatre, dance, film, choral works and outdoor performance. He spent his primary years in Scandinavia starting the MuZircus movement. He’s worked with NFS Circus, Bath Theatre Royal, Bristol Old Vic Youth Theatre, Moon Fool Theatre, Circo Crappo and Unga Teatern (Finland), Fairground Theatre, National Theatre of Wales, Welsh National Opera, Lyric Hammersmith, National Youth Theatre of England, Yeknøm and LIT Circus (UK). Peter has a passion for experimental film, silent movies, performance art and absurdist theatre.
CURTIS TAPPENDEN – Artist and Consultant for Frame
Curtis live draws Frame and acts as Circus250 art consultant. He has been drawing for magazines, books, advertising and newspapers for over 30 years. He is part of the design team at Mail On Sunday London. His watercolours are frequently exhibited in galleries and shows throughout the country, and many paintings are in international collections. Curtis also lectures in Further Education and Creative Writing at the University For The Creative Arts, and visits art clubs around the country with his unconventional presentations and is a performance poet and painter. His latest project involves drawing live in Britain’s circuses. He has illustrated this season’s brochure for Zippos Circus.
SAFE TO CREATE
We have signed Safe to Create: A programme with the aim to impact change on the culture and practices of the arts and creative sectors in Ireland to provide safer working conditions for all workers.