Clownery | Comedy | Writing | Performing| Stage Tech
Editing | Audio | Badges | Zines | Facilitating
Now That
Sounds Like Shevek
Who is Shevek?
Hi! I’m Shev – a creative sort of person based in Newcastle upon Tyne. I enjoy pursuing silliness, eschewing labels and sharing good hope-punk vibes.
As well as bringing joy to people’s lives, aiming to make people laugh and feel better about the world, I also strive to help people feel seen through their creations which are always informed by my experiences navigating life as a genderqueer, neurodivergent being. I’m always attempting to disrupt the dogmatic norms that create systematic harm to marginalized communities, asking why we accept things as they are, and offering playful, alternative perspectives on how things could be different and fairer.
I’m a capable writer/performer with specialisms in comedy and clown. I’m experienced in devising sketches and longer-form pieces for stage, screen and audio. I particularly enjoy being part of the workshopping process, shaping and fine-tuning both my own and others’ material. Furthermore, I’m becoming increasingly proficient at a variety of theatre of the oppressed practices through regular participation with Theatre of the Oppressed North East.
I’m a generally useful person to have around to support and record creative projects. I love helping to assist and develop projects from their early stages to delivery. I can offer an extra pairs of eyes and hands for note-taking, script reading, tea making, and technical assistance (particularly sound design, tech operating and audio/visual editing). Whatever needs doing, I’m enthusiastic to get stuck in in whatever ways I can to bring projects to fruition!
I also make zines and badges! I love sharing queer, radical, gentle joy through my designs and little DIY creations. Badge and zine workshops that I facilitate provide creative engagement and gentle self-expression for small groups or as a drop-in workshop station at larger events. Equally, if you have your own designs I can turn them into badges for you!
Facilitation
Providing spaces where people can create things in a way that works for them! My practice emphasises finding and elevate participants’ own authentic voices, cultivating creativity through comfortable community engagement.
So far I’ve led workshops in badge-making, zine-making, sketch-writing, comedy writing and performance. I’m always excited to share the skills I have and encourage cultural engagement at all levels of experience.
Technical Assistance
Experienced stagehand/runner with a specialism in sound design.
Confident in compiling SFX files, creating showfiles, and operating sound desks.
Able to assist with setting up live sound equipment in addition to general technical assistance for stage, podcasting and recording audio-visual content.
All Sorts of Editing
For writing. Across forms, genres and audiences. I have a strong sense of how to put words together effectively for a solid impact, whilst always careful to maintain writers’ authentic voices.
For audio. I love working with sound, and am always happy to dip my auditory muscles back into Pro Tools to construct
For audio-visual content. Video editing satisfies my poetical storytelling tendencies. I am proficient at finding the rhythm of the composition. I’m also as at ease working with DIY collected assets as I am with more traditionally produced footage. Whatever material there is, I can help construct and share a narrative with it.
Why Shevek?
Conscientious, a calm presence, I know my stuff. Though, if I don’t know something I’m always quick to do the necessary research to find out.
I’m driven, determined, reliable, and – most importantly – always on the hunt for fun.
I care about the process and the people who make things happen – if it’s not enjoyable to do then in my (neurodivergent) mind, it’s not worth doing. I’m access-centred and wellbeing focuessed – working hard within my capacity to help meet the needs of my community.
Friend of Frankenstein
Created with August Myfanwy
A theatrical clown show that was presented as part of Alphabetti Theatre’s Joyful Punk season in August 2024, selected through their Let’s Create, Not Apply callout.
Role
Writer/Performer, Co-producer
Contribution
Initially developed as part of SoreSlap’s April 2024 Sketch Slap, from a sketch I’d created with them the previous year. I wrote the first draft of Friend of Frankenstein, exploring how a playful clown-driven philosophy could be used to explore themes of creativity, rest and friendship, analagous with the original book. After August came on board to play Frankie, we workshopped our characters and their arcs throughout the play together, then I went away to write a subsequent draft (or two). For the Sketch Slap in April we presented a cut down version to fit the slot we were given, which was useful in helping us work out what elements of the piece were integral to what we wanted it to be.
After successfully applying to Let’s Create, Not Apply, August and I revisited the unperformed full length script, and discussed what we wanted to focus on and draw out in a 50 minute version of the show. Again, I went away to script this, but leaving gaps for the interactive games to play with the audience which we discovered when we put it on its feet in rehearsal. Alongside this, I contributed marketting assets and the (minimal) tech spec for the show.
A fringe-length show really allowed it to breathe, and we’re excited to keep on developing it, bringing it to new audiences and exploring what it has to offer discussions around rest, play and surviving capitalism as neurodivergent people.
My Name Is Rachel Corrie
wet arts ltd with Alphabetti Theatre
Presented at Alphabetti Theatre in October 2024. Directed by Ryan Hay, performed by Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock. The North-East Premiere of the play, compiled from Rachel Corrie’s diaries and emails, edited by Katherine Viner and Alan Rickman.
Role
Sound Designer and Technical Operator
Contribution
As part of a core creative team of three, with a minimalist design and sensitive material, the sound design was an integral part of telling the story conscientiously on stage. I undertook some close reading of the text, and then met with the director to establish what was needed from the sound design. As the directorial vision necessitated a complex microphone set up I liased early on with the technical team at Alphabetti Theatre to realise this. I researched core aspects of the soundscape that I wanted to include, such as birds in Olympia and Gaza. I curated the sounds from libraries, doing some additional editing to make them work in Pro Tools; I then programmed the SFX showfile in QLab and assembled the tech script.
In my role as technical operator I was also responsible for setting up and packing down the show in the venue space, compiling show reports and ensuring handover was smooth for cover.
I found this project challenging and fulfilling, and I’m keen to continue to develop my skills in these areas and help to facilitate all manners of storytelling through sound.
Zines, Badges, Queer Joy
DIY handmade badges and zines.
One half of Terrifyingly Wholesome with the incredible Mack Sproates – you can often find us tabling across the region.
Respect Pronouns
How Not to Make a Zine zine
Trans Rights Hedgehog badge