Award-winning performer, theatre maker, workshop leader,
creative mentor and director -
well-known for her insightful solo shows
including Wendy Darling, Beg, Topless, Midriff, Invocation, Chastity Belt and Imperfection.
Lily teaches vibrant theatre courses
where people learn loads and unlock their performing energy. Her teaching style reflects a synthesis of a rich range of influences in her training which includes Jacques Lecoq, Philippe Gaulier, Monika Pagneaux, Theatre du Mouvement (Corporeal Mime), Yoshi Oida, Carlo Boso (Commedia dell'Arte),
Sankai Juku and Natsu Nakajima (Butoh Dance),
as well as training in directing with Mike Alfreds.
She helps people stretch their emotional, physical and imaginative expressive range and in her
Clown and Comedy teaching, she demystifies the rules of comedy.
Over the last 30 years, she has developed a unique methodology for a new clowning genre.
Read various posts about Dark Clown on the blog.
Lily works as a theatre and devising director,
outside eye, script doctor, creative mentor, acting coach.
As a director, works include award-winning Je Regrette for Sarah-Louise Young, Famished for Lost in Translation Circus, A Touch of Mrs Robinson for Fiona Coffey, Rough Magic for LCF at Wilton's Music Hall.
She has written three plays: The Porter’s Daughter (Cockpit Theatre and NTC tour), Blame (Teatro Mechanis, Athens) and Random Oracle (Unity Theatre, Liverpool). She also works as a creative mentor to artists including circus trailblazer John-Paul Zaccarini.
'I always, always learn something from the incredible Peta and love that she is freely sharing her treasures for one and all.
If you get an opportunity to take a masterclass with her I recommend that course of action wholeheartedly.
In the meantime, enjoy her blog.' - Wendy Richardson Arts Hole
INTERVIEWS & THINGS
After working the Arthouse shorts circuit, the documentary She is Juiced - by multi-award-winning Lois Norman - about my performance work is now available to view here.
NEW: 4 star reviews for Whoa Mama WARE IT'S AT PRODUCTIONS
'Splendidly entertaining new show Whoa Mama! Is as real as it comes … throw yourself headfirst into this thought-provoking and deliriously funny slice of fringe madness.'
‘Under Peta Lily’s direction, Ware brings a definite heart to a subject that begins with jokes and ends with a joyous celebration of the female experience.’
Review for Procreate BETHAN SCREEN
'I couldn’t have made this show without you, your help, support and creativity were invaluable.'
Interviewed for this book: “Feminist Theatre – Then & Now”.
Interviewed by Mae Riot on her Screaming Twenties podcast (Spotify and Acast).
Interviewed by Robert Golden about my intuitive photography practice. Go here.
Interviewed by Caroline Partridge for 'The Perception Podcast' - The Dark Clown: Comedy in the Presence of Suffering - on Apple Podcasts: Go here.
Served as Creative Mentor on Emily Lauren's costume project 'All the rage (the Princess and the Pea)'. See the video here.
Interviewed by Marvin McCarthy for 'Comedians Paradise' podcast. Go here.
interviewed by Katapult, Berlin. Declan Mee and Oliver Pinchbeck (Directors of Katapult) have compiled a book around the theme: Creation in contemporary circus - I was among the interviewees. Go here to see the interviews: and Go here to read about one of the shows I created at NCCA.
Katapult's beautiful book: 'Notes on Creation' is now on sale - go here.
NEW: see the video of the Dark Clown inspired circus show 'Strange Forces'.
My work with movement and costume, form and space is mentioned in Donatella Barbieri 2020, in this chapter in the Costume, New Perspectives and Methods volume, edited by Sofia Pantouvaki and Peter McNeill. You can access it here.
Read about the early years and Dark Clown in the Total Theatre interview here.
Read Sorcha Ra's 50 over 50 blog series, celebrating female performing artists here.
Listen to 'Getting Better Acquainted' podcast with Dave Pickering talking about making performance from our personal lives, Clown and Dark Clown, creating solo shows, gender, identity, movement, memory, memoir, and more here.
See pieces directed November 2019 for the MA Costume in Performance show here.
See video of the 2018 December MA Costume in Performance show here.
Watch wonderful podcast 'Up Yer Arts'* on Clown and other things here.
* Fortnightly arts-based podcast hosted by Paulus (AKA Paul L Martin) of BBC's 'All Together Now', and Little Lady Luscious (AKA Emily Jane Flynn) of 'Luscious Burlesque'.
Panel discussion with Nathan Keates alongside Actor Basauri, Clown festival organiser Dan Lees, Nose to Nose's Vivian Gladwell here.
I spoke on my Dark Clown work as one of a series of talks: 'Malloca on Female Clown'* (Malloca means a meeting hall), set up by Brazilian clown Ana Oliveira. Videos of the 5 days of the International Seminar are available on YouTube. Access here.
* This project was awarded by the Conexões Culturais 2020 Award - Lei Aldir Blanc Support Manaus City Hall Federal Government.
Clownversation with Barbaby King here.
Privileged to have been featured in Lois Norman's multi-award-winning documentary 'She is Juiced', alongside other artists Jo Hay, Ope Lori and Sarah Jane Moon. Look out for it at a Film Festival near you.
Also: Collaboration with Lois Norman towards a new film tbc.
Participated in Discussion Event on Theatre & Neuroscience at UCL 2022.
Currently working on a new Digital Theatre project - soft launch happening now: meet Parker Dee!
Images of Imperfection book of photographs + poems reviewed here.
About to participate in this event for World Stage Design.
Contact & join mailing list: email peta(at)petalily.com or scroll now to the form below (free ebooklet when you join!).
Follow on Twitter: @peta_lily Facebook: Peta Lily Shows and Instagram: petalily
Photos: Graeme Fudger, Nick Cowell, Alex Traylen, Greg Weddell, Karen Hesmondhalgh, Lindsay Maggs, Mark Morreau
