Beyond The Ridiculous
Holly is the Artistic Director of Beyond The Ridiculous, an improvisational theatre company comprising of Holly’s long-term students.
We all have different sides to ourselves, some we present to the outside world in neat acceptable packages and others that are locked away in small cupboards, only allowed out every 3rd Thursday or during a Full Moon. The fools of Beyond The Ridiculous remove the filters and invite all the weird and wonderful creatures of the mind and heart out to play!
Beyond The Ridiculous is a collective of multi-talented performers who train in and perform a unique form of solo improvisation known as 'Fooling.' Company Director, Holly Stoppit began her fools training with Queen of Fools, Franki Anderson over 20 years ago. Holly has been developing her own flavour of fooling ever since, incorporating clowning, dance, voice work, live music, meditation and dramatherapy.
During Beyond The Ridiculous' live shows, each fool steps onto an empty stage with absolutely no idea what they will do. They listen to the audience breathing and the sound of their their own heart beating before following their impulses to carefully craft short nuggets of audaciously authentic, gob-smackingly resonant, never-to-be-repeated, instant theatre.
What it is not: Traditional improv where the audience prompts the performers to do a funny skit.
Beyond The Ridiculous' live shows are a chance to be inspired by courageous performers leaping into the limitless possibilities of each moment. As the fools dance their hopes, sing their dreams, clown with their fears, embody their grief, you may laugh, you may cry, you might stare dumbfounded as you see yourself reflected in the fools’ play.
Beyond The Ridiculous are available for hire for events, festivals and bespoke projects. Get in touch to find out more.
Links to previous work
Behind The Scenes at BTR's first online performance; Voices of Lockdown Live and Unleashed. June 2020
Poems written in response to Voices of Lockdown Live and Unleashed by Bee Golding
Behind The Scenes pictures and poems at BTR's first hybrid performance The New "Normal" in October 2020.
Photos and artwork from Beyond The Ridiculous' April fools takeover of the Wardrobe Theatre 2019; Friday, Saturday, Sunday.
Beyond The Ridiculous in Art And Words 2017
Artwork made in response to BTR From 2016
Beyond The Ridiculous Facebook Page
“Both incredibly funny and incredibly moving”
Huffington Post review.
“Change your life, shake the doom from your hair. Go see Beyond the Ridiculous.”
Weston Super-Mum review
“The fools took the risk to be seen, and generously poured their hearts and souls onto the stage for us to splash in.”
Talking Cat Review
“I actually cried laughing.”
Audience response
“It was so releasing. I feel in a much better place than when I walked in. Seeing everyone getting their crazy parts out made me feel connected to mine. But I push mine down. Seeing the performers release it all made me want to get out and play more.”
Audience response
“I have definitely never seen anything like that before.”
Audience response
