Imogen Tong - Young Company Leader
Imogen is a theatre practitioner, facilitator, and director with a wealth of experience working in community arts settings across the UK and abroad. She trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, gaining a first-class honours degree in Drama, Applied Theatre and Education. Her passion lies in engaging diverse communities through drama, encouraging self-expression, and cultivating meaningful human connection.
Over the past decade, she has facilitated practical theatre programmes with adults living with dementia; young people with multiple, profound learning disabilities; creative educators in Mumbai; young people from the ages of 4 - 21 years; and adult carers, amongst others.
Imogen’s expertise spans devised theatre, improvisation, and theatrical classics from Shakespeare to Arthur Miller. Her theatre-making advocates for the “childlike” and is centred around how humour can intersect with the poignant and profound. She currently works as Theatre Outreach Manager of the Bridge House Theatre and teaches LAMDA qualifications in Acting, Verse and Prose and Speaking in Public.
Pippa Church - Young Company Leader
Pippa is a Puppeteer and puppet maker, she trained at the Curious School of Puppetry in 2018 and has performed at Manipulate Festival, Nottingham Puppet Cabaret and Beverley Puppet Festival as well as making puppets and performing for the Birmingham Opera Company and Little Angel Theatre.
Pippa spent 8 years in a fast-paced outreach department at the New Vic Theatre Stoke in Trent, a beautiful theatre in the round. At the Vic Pippa worked with communities from a range of backgrounds working as a practitioner, Puppet Maker, Director and performer.
Pippa is excited to pass on her love of Puppetry and Theatre to a new generation of young people.
Vicky Basterfield - Young Company Leader
Vicky is an experienced theatre facilitator and practitioner, specialising in co-creating and delivering work with young people and the community in a range of settings. She is passionate about using theatre as a platform for young people to express themselves and have fun, whilst developing their skills and confidence.
After graduating from the University of Warwick in 2020 with a degree in Theatre and Performance, Vicky began making work with a variety of participants. Some highlights so far have been directing a youth production of High School Musical, working as the Youth Theatre Director at Heartbreak Productions and becoming Head of Creative Engagement at The Albany Theatre, where Vicky currently directs and manages the youth theatre programme, alongside overseeing the theatre’s outreach offering and creating shows with a range of local community groups.
Alex Kaniewski - Young Company Assistant
Alexander Kaniewski is a Warwick based avant-garde director, designer and theatre maker whose styles explore Contemporary Opera, ‘The Theatre of Images’ and Performance Art. Alex received his Degree in Theatre from York St John University before being appointed the University’s first Theatre Artist in Residence. Alex has been involved with the Drama program at Warwick School since 2018 and recently received his MMus in Experimental Performance from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
Alex’s work explores the look and accuracy of gesture, movement and image in theatre. Interested in the aesthetic of the theatre arts, his work looks at how the moving body in space and time can produce highly emotional and visually stunning spectacles. His most recent work A Book of Portraits brought together the community and school children of the village of Hatton, along with a group of Birmingham based artists, to create a fictitious folk ceremony that proved to be a day to remember for this quiet Warwickshire village.
Ethan Laffey - Young Company Assistant
Ethan, a third-year English Literature & Theatre student at Warwick University, has had a lifelong passion for the performing arts. His love for theatre was sparked at a young age, as he regularly attended Theatre Cats classes from the age of 7, where he honed his acting skills and developed a keen interest in drama.
Ethan's enthusiasm for theatre is reflected in his exceptional achievements, including attaining Grades 1-8 Trinity Guildhall Speech and Drama awards, all with distinctions. His talents were further recognized at 16, when he was accepted into the prestigious Birmingham Ormiston Academy to study for an Acting BTEC, which he successfully completed with a triple Distinction Star grade.
In addition to his studies, Ethan shares his passion for theatre by teaching singing, acting and dancing at holiday schools, catering to young people aged 4-18. He is passionate about instilling confidence in his students through the power of theatre. Ethan has performed at the Old Rep Theatre in Birmingham in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman and Shakespeare’s Coriolanus. More recently, he has performed in two student productions at the Warwick Arts Centre.
Ethan's passion for theatre has also manifested in his leadership roles. At Warwick University, he currently serves as the Vice President of the Warwick Literature Society, where he works to inspire and promote creative expression in his fellow students. Ethan's commitment to his craft and love for teaching makes him a valuable member of the BHYC team.
Lyn Moore - Young Company Assistant
Lyn has been a key member of the Bridge House Young Company team for many years and works mainly supporting the Junior group. She loves seeing the young people develop their stage techniques and acting ability through participating in drama games, improvisation, and characterisation activities.
Prior to working at the Bridge House Theatre, Lyn was involved in musical theatre with Spa Theatre Juniors. The younger members productions, such as ‘Oliver’ and ‘Bugsy Malone’ were performed at the Bridge House Theatre. She was also part of the Senior company shows and some productions combined the two groups.
The BHYC's recent production of Much Ado About Nothing provided an opportunity for all the Young Company staff to come together and Lyn enjoyed being part of an important part of a dynamic production team.
