Howard Gayton has worked for many years as a theatre director, performer, and teacher specializing in Commedia dell'Arte and other forms of mask theatre. He is also a writer and scholar, interested in all manner of tricksters, zanni figures, and sacred clowns, as well as in the use of masks in drama, myth, magic, and religious rituals around the world.

The Ophaboom Theatre Company:

In 1991, Howard and Geoff Beale co-founded Ophaboom, a London-based touring company dedicated to contemporary Commedia dell'Arte.

In its earliest form (in 16th century Italy), Commedia married the rough entertainments of traveling mountebanks and street peddlers with the masks of carnival and the classicism of Greek and Roman drama -- using stock characters to create a vibrant physical spectacle performed on high trestle stages in crowded squares or piazzas. The popularity of Commedia dell' Arte spread across medieval and Renaissance Europe with profound results. Its themes can be found time and time again in the works of Shakespeare, Moliere and other great European dramatists.

Drawing on medieval theatre, trickster tales, and Commedia's origins, Ophaboom set out to create a contemporary style of Commedia dell'Arte that would resonate with modern audiences. Working in four languages (sometimes all in the same show!), the company has traveled and performed extensively throughout the British Isles and continental Europe, and journeyed as far afield as North America and Korea. They are widely recognized as the leading Commedia troupe in England today.

Other Theatre Work:

In addition to his work as a director and performer with Ophaboom, Howard has also directed shows for other physical theatre companies in England and abroad, and works as a consulting director/ script-doctor for productions in need of special assistance.  In partnership with Geoff Beale (pictured on the right), he teaches Commedia and physical theatre at drama schools including East 15 in London, Hope Street in Liverpool, and the ESMAE School of Music and Dramatic Arts in Porto, Portugal.  He has also created, directed, and performed in puppet shows for  The Little Angel Theatre in London and The Norwich Puppet Theatre in Norfolk.

Academic Studies:

Howard is currently pursuing an MA in the History of Western Esotericism at Exeter University, studying such subjects as Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism, Alchemy, and the differences between Renaissance and Medieval magic. He earned a degree in English and Drama from the same university, studied physical theatre at the Desmond Jones School in London, and has researched the use of masks in Native American and Mexican-American communities in Arizona with the aid of an Arts Council England grant.

Writing:

Howard has created a graphic novel series with artist Jim Fortey (forthcoming from Ghost Dog Comix), and is at work on a historical novel about a Commedia dell'Arte troupe. His articles on mask theatre and Commedia have appeared in a variety of drama journals, and in the online Journal of Mythic Arts. He has collaborated on radio plays with Owen Powell, and published a chap book of poetry, To the Desert, with art by the Arizona photographer Stu Jenks.

Background:

Howard was raised in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, attended university in Devon, and then lived in London for many years (when he wasn't on the road with Ophaboom). 

He returned to Devon in 2004, where he now lives in a small arts community with his wife, writer/artist  Terri Windling; his daughter, drama student Victoria Gayton; and his young dog, Tilly.

In addition to the pursuits above, Howard plays music (from folk to rock) and trains in Bagua Zhang at the Dragon Temple School of Internal Martial Arts. Other interests include myth, meditation, travel, and political activism.