About Holly

Holly Stoppit (aka Holly Stoddart) grew up on the road with her family’s circus-theatre company, Arts Play Umbrella, performing and delivering circus-theatre workshops all around the UK. Gripped by clowning at a very young age, tiny Holly discovered an enormous sense of power through provoking laughter from audiences. In adulthood, Holly has sat at the feet of many a wise clown, including Franki Anderson, Sue Morrison, John Wright, Brenda Waite, Amy Rose, Emma Lloyd, Angela De Castro, Desmond Jones, Mick Barnfather, Gerry Flannagan, Marcello De Ramos, Fraser Hooper, Marcello Magni, Kevin Brooking, Julie Goell, Jon Davison, Aitor Bassauri, Phelim McDermott and Didier Danthois, diligently soaking up their particular take on clowning and assimilating it with her own.

For over two decades, Holly performed extensively as a clown-musician in circus, street theatre, cabaret, rural touring, schools and theatres with so many companies that the list is frankly ridiculous, but includes Nofit State Circus, The Honk Project, Ramshacklicious, The Invisible Circus and with her show band, Yupknuckle. 

Wanting to share her performance knowledge with others, Holly began freelancing as a director of devised performance in her 20’s. Her directing work ranges from a trilogy of one-man autobiographical tragicomedies to epic promenade site-specific circus-theatre spectacular. Between these two extremes, Holly has facilitated artists to create just about every type of devised theatre imaginable.

In 2007, wanting to share her processes even further, Holly began teaching adult Clown classes to people from all walks of life in Bristol. 

In 2010, Holly's deep fascination for the transformational potential of creative process led her to studying for an MA in Dramatherapy. Her dissertation research focused on the potential therapeutic benefits of clown skills training for adults with mental health issues; a system which she has coined “Clown-o-therapy.” She has been gradually integrating elements of Clown-o-therapy into her regular clown workshops, offering various opportunities for self-discovery alongside clown skills training.

These days Holly creates and delivers workshops under Holly Stoppit Workshops and for Bath Spa University, creates bespoke consultancy / training sessions for theatre companies, community organisations, universities and businesses and directs and facilitates devised and improvised theatre, both freelance and with her own company, Beyond The Ridiculous.

Some people Holly has worked with:

Beyond The Ridiculous Artistic Director, trainer, live facilitator during shows at The Wardrobe Theatre 
Bath Spa University Holly created and delivered a Live Comedy Performance module for 2nd year degree students last year and is currently designing an Advanced Comedy Performance module for 3rd years. Holly has also delivered guest lectures for other degree students including; Facilitation Skills, Devising Skills, Status Play and How I Make Work.
Bath Fringe Festival Holly designed and delivered New Work Works, a street artists development scheme for Bedlam Fair, Bath’s street theatre festival for the past 2 years.
Bianca Bertalot director, Cinco Coisas 
Lucy Harrington director, Wake Up and Deirdrealize 
Modest Geniuses (Tess Cartwright and Last Baguette) facilitator, Dying To Please You 
Helen Duff Facilitator, Vanity Bites Back Research Facilitator Come With Me 
Edward Rapley Director / facilitator, The Self Trilogy 
Adam Blake Fooling teacher, mentor- Birth and Death and Here and Now 
Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru Clown Consultant, Y Storm, Pridd and Fat Club 
Nofit State Circus Fun Consultant, Noodles Facilitator / director Too Excited To Sleep Community Christmas Cabaret
The Invisible Circus Director, Beyond The Cabaret, Carnyville 2 and 4, Company development facilitator
Pirates of The Carabina Facilitator, company evaluation / development
Ramshacklicious Co-founder, Co-Artistic Director/Producer of The Road To Nowhere, Co-Producer of The Small Time, R&D facilitator Grime 
Atelier 231 Facilitating tie-in workshops for people with mental health issues during the creative process of Ramshacklicious' ‘Grime' 
Winchester University Street Theatre / Ensemble Improvisation Summer School (as part of Winchester Hat Fair) and Mental health and Street Arts Lecture 
Bristol Folk House, City Of Bristol College, Hamilton House Clowning Evening Classes for adults. 
Improperly Improvisation Clowning For Improvisers 
Educircation European Social Circus Project Week-long intensive for social circus teachers in Holly’s process, Clown-o-therapy 
London Speciality School of Psychiatry Conference Playfulness and Psychiatry Workshop 
Network of International Circus Exchange (NICE) Conference Connection Through Play Workshop 
Southwest School of Dramatherapy Clown-o-therapy session 
University of The Highlands Group Skills Through Play 
Triodos Bank and Exeter Business School Away Day Training 
Performers Without Borders Leadership and Communication Skills Through Play 
Circus To Palestine Clown teacher / director, Boomchucka Circus Show 
Circus To Borders Company Development- Communication Skills Through Play
Clown and Power Symposium delivering a talk on Accessing Vulnerability Through Clown.
Eden Court Theatre Director, Nobody's Home. Workshop Facilitator Site Specific Theatre Games. 
The Fabularium Clown Consultant, The Town Band of Bremen 
Broken Dream Co Ensemble Devising Skills Masterclass, Mentor, The Act 
Hinged Theatre R&D Facilitator, Vassillisa and The Flying Pie 
Tessa Bide Productions R&D facilitator, The Melody Makers 
Mossy Crow facilitator, Interactive Storytelling Masterclass 
Freckled Mischief consultant / facilitator Oz