WOMAD

Theatre Rotto

From Kenya, United Kingdom

Marin Ngunzi (Musician):Born on the 1 August 1961 in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya, the youngest son of John Ngunzi a second-world-war veteran and his wife Martha. At the age of 5 he contracted Polio. He originally started his music life by making his own guitar from a tin can and nylon strings. Unfortunately this was not the path his Father wanted him to follow. He had made two guitars but the Father confiscated them. It was when he finished College and started work in the Electronic Industry that he bought his first Gibson guitar in 1981. This led him to be a regular Choir Musician playing at local churches.In 1987 by accident be became reacquainted with a group of former schoolmates, who were for the most part also disabled and interested in music. From this meeting the SUPER DISKEN was born. The group was formed to create awareness that disabled people have a lot to offer, hence the word DISKEN (Disabled of Kenya). This group became well known around Africa, then one day John McCormac saw them playing at the African heritage café in Nairobi and offered to take them to Ireland where they performed before moving and settling in London.They took part in the Africa '95 festival at the South Bank and performed at the African Art of a Continent Exhibition in 1996, and the take note! disability music festival at the Union Chapel. After 12 years the group disbanded and the members went their separate ways. Martin joined theatrerotto in 1999 as musician in the production of KINTU and is composer of the music in MY TREE. He has also been involved in various projects e.g. tutoring practical guitar.Julia McLean (Puppeteer):ACTING WORK: Theatre’69 Daniel Deronda,Manchester’69, Llandudno Grand Theatre summer rep ’72, EMMA Theatre Co ’73, Phantom Captain Performance Art Co ‘73-74. Started own writing and performance work: IO one-woman show ‘74-’75 London,Copenhagen, Amsterdam. SOUBRETTES two woman show’75 London & continent.The Recluse Paul Foster ’75 Budapest. Les Enfants ’76. Ladybird (one-woman cabaret)’77. Pytt! Jytte Abildstrom’s Theatre ’78 Copenhagen. Under Hypnosis 79/80 season with Barneys Pocket Show. Formed THEATRE ROTTO Cornwall based (national & international touring): Big Claus & Little Claus ’81 Diamonds for Breakfast ’82, Cabaret Susan ’83, Alice! ’84, Palais Nights ’85, Nutcase Suite ’86, Rotto Sisters & the Planters (band) The Nightingale ’87, Slave to Love ‘ Edinburgh 89, A Mere Interlude Thomas Hardy Conference’91/92 Odour of Chrysanthemums D.H.Lawrence ’95, IVY on the IVORIES ’97 - 2000 Cabaret music comedy PUPPETRY WORK: Cherry of Zennor ’90, Bird Has Flown ’93, PIGWORT ’94, Fall of Snow ’95 Beatrix Potter, Galactica Intactica ’96, Enid Pucklethorpe Flies to the Freezing North, How Madge Figgey Got her Pig, Lutey and the Mermaid ’97, Peter Ox 98, The House with a Tale to Tell ’99 Kintu (African shadow and dance play) 2000Formed IDOLRICH animated theatre, Hastings based (national & international touring):SLEEPING/WAKING installation THE MODEL 2002THE MODEL visual theatre/adult puppetry 2003 DOLLING UP shop window version of THE MODEL 2004 MY TREE children & family puppetry 2005 CRIC the CROC children & family puppetry 2006FILMS“Achilles Haelen er Min Vauben” Julia Jytte Rex Danish Film ’78 “The Last Words of Dolly Pentreath” Margaret Bill Scott ’95“The Last Judgment” Rita Gerrard Wycliffe H.T.V.’96“How Madge Figgey Got Her Pig” Madge Figgey ’98 (puppetry)“Swimming” Director and writer 2001.AWARDS“How Madge Figgey Got her Pig” (writer/composer/ performer) Winner of the Celtic Film festival 1998 under12’s awardsAward winning nominee festival of Puppetry Brest Belarus for THE MODEL 2004SOUND LIBRARY & MUSICSeries of cassettes “Madge Figgey Story Tapes” narrated by J.McLeanNicholas Carrol (Puppeteer):THEATRE• Hophead & Tosspot Puppets 6 month tour ‘88• Worked in Manchester theatres - The Library Theatre, Green Room and Contact Theatre. Played a variety of roles including “Peter” in ‘Taste of Honey’ and “Mike” in Steven Berkoff’s ‘East’.• Toured Australia ’96 with childrens’ plays performing in community venues.• Joined TheatreRotto and was main puppeteer/performer with Julia McLean on ‘LUTEY & the MERMAID’ from ’97, ‘PETER OX’ ’98, ‘THE HOUSE with a TALE to TELL’ ’99 (on which he was a co-writer) and the African shadow and dance performance ‘KINTU’ ‘2000. • Worked with CIRCUS APPERELLI as puppeteer 2003OTHER PERFORMING EXPERIENCE• Work on films.• Puppet ‘walkabout’ characters “Humphrey”• Teaching experience and 6 month workshop contract with National Trust.