The Why Not Institute Team
The Why Not Institute is a community of ‘Why Notters’, led by Clown in Charge, Founder and Artistic Director, A de Castro. It includes many of those who have been part of courses and have stayed in touch to help with the Institute’s work. We value our extended family, our community, and thank all those who have contributed over the years. If you’re interested in being involved, please drop us an email. whynotinstitute@aol.com
Angela de Castro
Clown in Charge and Artistic Director
Angela de Castro has been performing since she was 17 years old, beginning in her native Brazil where she was a well-known actress in theatre, film and television and director of her own theatre company. She was a member of the original cast of the ground-breaking show ‘Macunaima’ (1977-1980), which changed the face of Brazilian theatre and played to an audience of over half a million people in Brazil alone, as well as touring internationally for over two years.
In 1986 Angela de Castro moved to London to pursue her dream to study, perform and reclaim theatre clowning as a modern art form. She has toured the UK and internationally with the major contemporary theatre and circus companies and is well known as a teacher of her master class ‘How To Be A Stupid’ .
Angela de Castro is one of the most loved women clowns. She is a leading theatre practitioner, actor, teacher, director and speaker. Her performances and methodology have been well recognised in the UK and abroad, awarding her, among a few, a Lawrence Olivier Award (UK), the Golden Nose Award (Spain), the Nesta Dreamtime Fellowship, an Arts Foundation Fellowship and an International Fellowship by Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for her contribution on the art of clowning.
Angela de Castro has been teaching her master classes extensively all over the world. (See CV for more details)
The blend of actress work and theatre clown work makes de Castro a bold and complete actress / clown. For her, the combination of the work of the actor and the clown is of vital importance as it creates a new way of performing.
Angela de Castro has been recently performing and could be seen in ‘Treasure Island’ by Robert Louis Stevenson, (National Theatre, Olivier Theatre, London, England), ‘Under Glass’, by the Clod Ensemble ‘Laughing Matters’, work in progress, , ‘Luz Nas Trevas’ feature length film (Brazil), ‘Ionesco’s ‘The New Tenant’ for the Young Vic Theatre and is well known for her clown Rough, the green clown, in the award winning Slava’s ‘Snowshow’. She creates and tours her own shows under her own company Contemporary Clowning Projects. Her shows include ‘The Gift’ , ‘My Life Is Like A Yo Yo’, ‘only fools (no horses)’ a show about the Shakespearean Fools. ‘Laughing Matters’, ‘Foreigners’ and ‘Alone: All+ One’, are projects in development.
Theatre clowning is a life’s passion and way of life for de Castro. She doesn’t stop working. She is completely dedicated and committed to her work. She is always working on shows, directing and mentoring other companies, developing her own clowns’ personas and learning how to play the ukulele. When she has some free time, she can be seen browsing around street markets, riding her beloved motorbike and feeding the ducks in the park near her house.
Click here to download Angela de Castro’s full CV.
