Biography
I am a performer, practitioner and theatre maker from North East England.
( Co. Durham to be precise)
I make work that is influenced by the practices of Polish Laboratory theatre, polyphonic music, and devised ensemble theatre. Over the years, having performed in theatres, museums, schools, farms, festivals, warehouses, castles and forts across the UK and internationally, on television and in film, I speciallise in devised, ensemble performance and immersive, site-specific & promenade performance.
Coming from a place of play and listening, I make work in the hope of connecting audiences and to move you, physically, emotionally and politically.
I trained at Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance (RBC) firstly on the BA European Theatre Arts course, with a 3-month exchange, studying Creación (Devised Theatre) at Escuela Superior de Dramático (ESAD) in Murcia.
Whilst training at ESAD Murcia, I discovered the work of Teatr Pieśń Kozła (Song of the Goat). In 2014, I decided to continue training with Song of the Goat as part of the MA Ensemble Theatre course in collaboration with Rose Bruford College.
Since graduating I have performed nationally and internationally various companies, such as Song of the Goat at The Gdańsk International Shakespeare Festival 2015, with Justyna Scheuring at the closing ceremony of the Venice Biennale in the Diaspora Pavilion, and Seemia Theatre at Kampala International Theatre Festival 2018, Uganda.
As I am visually-impaired, I began researching how I can make my work more accessible for Visually Impaired artists and audiences. As a practitioner, I have directed and facilitated workshops on behalf of d/Deaf & Disabled artist-led theatre companies; Graeae, Extant, The Orpheus Centre and Invisible Flash. I am an Associate Artist of Invisible Flash Theatre, who perform ‘great stories, told simply, enhanced for a non-sighted audience.' I have also written an article for industry newspaper, The Stage with advice for sight impaired performers. I am a visiting lecturer at Rose Bruford College, and have guest lectured at The Northern School of Art and King's College London.
My work as a performer, practitioner and theatre maker has been presented at venues, festivals and companies that include: Arcola Theatre, ARC Stockton, the Albany, Arena Wolverhampton, Alphabetti Newcastle, Battersea Arts Centre, Blue Coats Liverpool, Canal Gallery London, Diaspora Pavilion Closing Ceremony at Venice Biennalle, Gdańsk International Shakespeare Festival, Half Moon London, Kampala International Theatre Festival, The National Theatre's Riverstage, Newhaven Fort, The New Wolsey, Pulse Festival, Pieter Performance Space LA, Richmond Castle, Spill Festival, and Summerhall Edinburgh.
Praise
My Darling Christopher ★ ★ ★ ★
for
Online Commendation for performance presented online during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A RADA Festival Commission
in Association with HOME Manchester
Evros | The Crossing River ★ ★ ★ ★
"Robin Paley Yorke excels alongside the ever-changing cast who brilliantly slip between different roles" - Theatre Full Stop, Nov 2019
SUMMERHALL'S LUSTRUM AWARD 2018
for
Evros | The Crossing River, Bruford@Summerhall
Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Maddy & The Invisble Band of Groovers "is a gentle and enchanting piece of work incorporating storytelling, puppetry and song. The show contained strong performances from all four actors, Simon Startin, Karina Jones, Molly Lambert and Robin Paley Yorke.
Invisible Flash are an innovative new theatre company whose aim is to ‘activate audience’s imaginations, through a bold exploration of the senses enhanced for a non-sighted audience."
- Disability Arts Online, Nov 2016
The play is a masterpiece, visually perfectly refined. Everything in it spins, turns.
[Spektakl to arcydzieło, wizualnie doskonale dopracowane. Wszystko w nim wiruje, przeistacza.] - Gdańsk Shakespeare Daily, Małgorzata Całka, July 2015
Against Nothingness or 3cm Above an Empty Head - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
"This play is expertly executed and will reward you for succumbing to its sinister whimsy.
This has to be one of the most genuinely creative shows I have seen at the Fringe and the talented company is truly world class. See them while you can." - EdFringe Review, Aug 2014.
Robin Paley Yorke
Performer | Practitioner | Theatre Maker
Associate Artist of Invisible Flash
Producer of Seemia Theatre
