Hoipolloi
Hoipolloi are a British touring theatre company committed to creating new work for theatre that imaginatively engages their audience and makes them laugh. Their work includes ensemble shows such as The Doubtful Guest and My Uncle Arly, and collaborations with the “emerging Welsh performance artist” Hugh Hughes, including the shows Floating and Story of a Rabbit.
History
The company was founded in 1994 by Shôn Dale-Jones (now Artistic Director) and Stefanie Müller (Associate Director). Dale-Jones and Müller met at the International Theatre School Jacques Lecoq, and initially worked with other performers they had met at the school. The Lecoq approach to theatre remains a large influence on the company’s work.
Since 1994, Hoipolloi have created and toured 16 new shows
Productions
All Hoipolloi productions are devised by the company's core artistic team, led by Artistic Director Shôn Dale-Jones, including input from the performers, with improvisation playing a large role in the creation of each show. Hoipolloi shows are often highly theatrical and humorous. Shôn Dale-Jones’ interest in nonsense literature is reflected in Hoipolloi’s last two ensemble shows, The Doubtful Guest, inspired by the book of the same name by Edward Gorey, and My Uncle Arly, which was inspired by the work of Edward Lear .
Past Hoipolloi productions
- The Doubtful Guest (2008 onwards)
- Story of a Rabbit (2007 onwards)
- The Impostor (2006)
- Floating (2005 onwards)
- Ablaze! (2004)
- The Man Next Door (2003)
- My Uncle Arly (2002, 2009)
- Marry Maria (2002)
- Sweet Bobabola (2002-2005)
- Living Like Victor (1999-2000)
- Dead on the Ground (1997)
- Backwash (1996)
- Honestly (1995-1999)
- The Breeze (1995)
- Amok (1994)
- The [...] King of the Morning (1994)
Hugh Hughes
Since 2005, Hoipolloi have collaborated with the Welsh performance artist Hugh Hughes. Hughes’ shows Floating and Story of a Rabbit have brought Hoipolloi great success: Floating won a Total Theatre Award at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Story of a Rabbit was awarded a Fringe First at the festival the following year.
Hughes’ theatrical style is unusual, often involving flip-charts and power-point presentations, and sometimes resembling a lecture more than a play.