Robin Paley Yorke 

Performer

Practitioner

Theatre Maker

Theatre Maker

I believe devising & creating work is the future of the UK theatre industry. I have been involved in various projects with many companies, from the initial R&D right through to touring. My work as a maker is equally varied, from being a co-deviser with the likes of Finger in the Pie and Hot Coals Theatre, Stage Managing Little Soldier Productions Derailed at The National Theatre's River Stage and Ovalhouse, and being a Production Assistant for Blanca Li's Le Bal de Paris at the Barbican.

Alongside theatre making as a performer I am a Producer and Project Manager. 

I am currently Producer of Seemia Theatre. As Producer, I administrate the company’s finances, budgets and applications, having been successfully awarded funding from Arts Council England on multiple occasions, alongside support from various donors, companies and venues, such as; Tangled Feet Theatre, ARC Stockton and the Albany. Seemia are a Barbican Open Lab 2022 company.

Seemia's first play, Evros | The Crossing River, was The Stage's Pick of the Week at VAULT Festival 2018 and won Summerhall's Lustrum Award 2018. It has since been performed internationally, from Arcola Theatre, a UK Tour and Kampala International Theatre Festival, Uganda, as well as being featured on BBC World Service. 

I joined GSA in 2020, first of as their LISTEN Festival Producer and then as their Speak Up Project Manager.

Lets Instill Support To Everyone Now was a hybrid online & outdoor in-person festival, celebrating connection & mental-health support with professional and community arts in the heart of Dagenham. The programme featured mindfulness Gardening, bold political sculptures, Online Radio Plays and Short Films, outdoor Dance & Theatre, and work from  Serpentine's RAFTS (★★★★★ Evening Standard).

LISTEN Festival was supported by London Borough of Barking & Dagenham’s Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy, The National Lottery Community Fund, The Vibe Youth Centre, with the RAFTS programme being commissioned by Serpentine Galleries in partnership with New Town Culture, Funded by Mayor of London as part of London Borough of Culture.

SPEAK UP is a programme for young Black & South Asian men to unpack and explore their mental health through creating Virtual Reality artworks. Support from The National Lottery Community Fund, distributed by City Bridge Trust through the London Community Response Fund, public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England and London Borough of Barking & Dagenham’s Becontree 100.

TOWARDS A TAKEOVER was a bridging project for Disconsortia, a collective of 15 disabled artists in North East England. 

The project supported organisational development and rebranding, whilst delivering disability equality training to members of the cultural sector in the North East and networking opportunities for disabled artists with key arts organisations across the region.
 
The project also funded 8 artists micro-commissions relating their expriences during Lockdowns.

Assistant Producer

Theatre Deli

In 2019 I was an Assistant Producer at Theatre Deli, leading on their Deli Comedy Festival 2019. The festival saw over 30 comedians perform their EdFringe previews to hundreds of audience members across Theatre Deli's two London venues, Deli Broadgate and The Old Library, Camberwell. With sell-out shows, featuring Seann Walsh, Suzi Ruffell and Catharine Bohart, the festival's Eco-Evening spearheaded by Dr Matt Winning was featured in the Evening Standard.

As Producer of Pulse 53, I managed the company of 33 artists, coordinating travel & accommodation logistics, the marketing strategy and suported the directors' fundraising efforts. We presented ‘Against Nothingness or 3cm Above an Empty Head’ at Summerhall at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014 for 1 week with a total budget of £11,500. Alongside fundraising and private sponsorship, the company raised £1000 from Sine FM, and grants from Rose Bruford College’s Jubilee Fund and The Adam Mickiewicz Institute totalling £1500.

Although only a short run, the performance was nearly sold out with ★★★★★ reviews!