GRACE MURDOCH
Company Director
Grace runs the artistic direction and day to day of the company. Trained at Falmouth university/Dartington College of Arts, Grace co-founded the company in 2014. Both performing in and choreographing previous works, Grace heads up all our education projects. Her previous collaborations include organisations such as ICON, The Minack, Rambert, Falmouth University, Dance Republic 2, Cornwall Council, NHS Young Mums and The Fresh Air Fund, NY amongst others.
ESTHER WILSON
Assistant Producer
Esther is Cornwall born and bred, a recent graduate from Falmouth University with a degree in Creative Event Management and a passion for Cornish based performance. Having previously worked with a wide range of companies and organisations such as Trebah Gardens, Miracle Theatre and Cscape Dance, she is excited to be working closely with Grace as a part of Cheap Date.
COLLABORATORS/GUEST ARTISTS
JOSH PENROSE
Performer - DIRTY WORDS
Josh grew up in a small town in the depths of Cornwall. This meant that he spent a lot of his early acting roles playing fisherman or pirates. He’s even played a character that was both a fisherman and a pirate on Bristol Old Vic’s main stage: Tom Scudgeon in Catastrophe Bay (2022). This was with Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, where Josh recently graduated. Other roles during his time here include Benvolio (Romeo and Juliet, 2021) and Mr Collins (Pride and Prejudice, 2022). Before drama school, Josh and his friends toured Off Air (2019) in Cornwall, a new dark comedy about broadcasting and nukes. He also had his spoken word short film, image drip (2021), shortlisted and screened at Northampton Film Festival 2022. Other interests include playing the saxophone too loud, body popping and cooking, but not at the same time.
DEMELZA MONK
Technician - DIRTY WORDS
DEBBIE MASON
Dancer - STAIRS
Training at Falmouth University and Escuela Profesional de Danza de Mazatlan (Mexico) amongst a wide variety of movement adventures. From clowning in Cornwall, through Gaga and Fighting Monkey in Europe, immersive performance, film work, festivals and now, London. After co-founding dance theatre company Cheap Date, Debbie performed nationally and further afield in performance work which explored the private made public, the personal and the surreal. Debbie is now a dance
physiotherapist and works for Clowns without borders as a project manager.
LAURA MALAM
Dancer - STAIRS
Originally from the North West Laura is a freelance dance artist now based in Bristol. A recent graduate from Falmouth University with a degree in Dance and Choreography, Laura has gained placements with Company Chameleon and performed in Rosemary Lee's Passage for Par. Laura has a passion for dance theatre and is looking forward to starting her freelance journey with Cheap Date.
MURDOCH DESIGN
Stairs Design and Build
Nick and Grace Murdoch run interactive and sculptural design company Murdoch Design, Offering bespoke sets, stunts, experimental or experience marketing for events and PR. Nicks wealth of experience in design and fabrication means he can work with a multitude of materials from wood to metal, fibreglass and so on. Nicks's previous collaborations include working with Hedkandi,
Help for Heroes, Coca-Cola, Secret Garden Party, Little Tykes, Covent Garden Soup Company, Indesit and OVO Energy, amongst others.
JACK MATTHEWS
Photography (Stairs/DW/LWBB/HWLI)
Mos & Maw, translating to Girl & Boy in Cornish is a team of two, a real couple working together producing Creative, Documentary Filmic photography in Kernow. With a true love for image making and a passion for capturing real moments, we work as a team to document everything we capture.
EMMA HOLT
Dancer - Stairs
Originally from Yorkshire, Emma trained at Northern School of Contemporary Dance and Trinity Laban, graduating in 2018. Upon graduating Emma joined Company of Others; a dance theatre company based in the North East. Alongside stage work Emma has had the pleasure of working in screen having worked on production Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald. As well as this she has choreographed and performed for Rita Ora, Clean Air Campaign alongside London and Paris Fashion weeks.
SEAMAS CAREY
Musician - DIRTY WORDS
A wonderful multi-instrumentalist and actor Seamas runs theatre Company Silly Boys as well as working with many wonderful companies including Kneehigh and Wildworks to name a few. Touring across the UK and internationally. He also runs the fab Men are Singing all male choir based in Falmouth, Cornwall.
KYLA GOODEY
Associate Director - DIRTY WORDS
Kyla is an actor, director, writer and choreographer based in Cornwall. She trained at Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre and Clowning with Mick Barnfather. She has performed throughout the U.K and Internationally with various companies. She is creative director of Trifle Gathering Productions.
LAUREN SHUKER
Co-Founder/dancer - HWLI & LWBB
Training at Falmouth University and Dartington College of Arts, Lauren co-founded and directed the company and was a key player in the development and birth of Cheap Date. Now a competitive cross-fit athlete, fitness instructor and weight lifting coach, as well as being a qualified nutritionist. Lauren also works with and specialises in working with strength and conditioning for sports teams and athletes.