The Core Company:

Zoie Kennedy is an actress, puppeteer, poet, director, artist, producer, writer and founder/Artistic Director of Twice Shy Theatre. 
She is also co-founder of The Shadow Travellers and works as a Singer and Choir leader.

Desmond O'Connor is an internationally renowned, award winning writer, composer, producer and performer. He is the engine behind Twice Shy Theatre and is Musical Director, Composer and principal collaborator in Twice Shy Theatre, creating original soundscapes and compositions for all of our shows.

Principal Artists:

Samantha Arends is a professional actress and puppeteer with a wealth of experience. From 'The Magic Flute' for ENO to TV's Newzoids via Flabbergast Theatre's 'Boris & Sergey', Sam is an amazing puppeteer and electrifying performer. She is one of our original cast and principal puppeteer for Twice Shy.

Elaine Hartley is a professional actress trained in theatre, film, TV, voiceover work and puppetry. She is an associate artist with Flabbergast Theatre Company, specializing in Bunraku puppetry and physical theatre. She is one of our original cast and principal puppeteer for Twice Shy.

Kim Scopes ​​graduated from East 15 in 2011 and has been working ever since. She has toured extensively with Blunderbus Theatre Company, appeared in a Special K Commerical, performed Shakespeare at the New Wolsey Ispwich and completed filming as a puppeteer on CBBC's Strange Hill High & Newzoids. She also regularly appears as a puppeteer with Flabbergast Theatre Company, who present Balkan Bad Boys Boris & Sergey. Kim first started working with Twice Shy Theatre at Glastonbury Festival 2014.

Lesa Gillespie is a highly skilled puppeteer, actress and motion-capture artist. She joined Twice Shy Theatre as a member of the core team for The Box, SOHO, work and has joined the team for countless adventures since, from delighting crowds with inappropriate antics of old ladies and babies alike to heading up team Rexi, which saw us take an illuminated T-Rex out to play in Regent Street for some festive fun. She is also a little bit in love with the puppet baby. The feeling is mutual. 

Additional puppeteers:

Emily Cooper, Chantelle Micallef-Grimaud & Eline Hallem - Lucid

Dylan Tate -  BURN, Amsterdam fringe Twice Shy takeover

Mikey Brett,  Fiona Clift, Emily Morus-Jones, Ellie Burrow - The Box, Soho

Laura Sutton - The Box, Soho; Judgement, Basel; Soho Knows; Apokalypsis

Sioned Jones & Jess Warshaw - Clapham Grand

​Sian Kidd - Bush Hall

​Steve Walker - Apokalypsis

Louisa Ashton - Pretty on the Inside

Rich Booth - Little Girl Who Wasn't There, London Wonderground

Douglas Rutter - Little Girl Who Wasn't There, London Wonderground

Nelly Scott - Smoking Puppet Cabaret; Double R club

Other collaborators:

Drew Colby of Finger and Thumb Theatre is a world class shadographer and regular collaborator with Twice Shy's improvised storytelling adventures. From Shambala festival to The National Trust's Sutton House via Halloween balls and Live Art Performances for Modern Panic, we are continually challenged and thrilled by this unique collaboration.

Alicia Davies, of Earthsong Sound Healing. Provides stunning live healing gong soundtracks for Lucid and Hypnagogue.

Actors Rebecca Cooper & Stephen Blackley as 'Kate' and 'Charlie' in Lucid.

Jamie Zubairi : Visual Artist and performer, Jamie Zubairi, performed the live art projection painting for Twice Shy's first performance of 'Baby Blues' and collaborated with balinese dance and live improvised story-painting for Apokalypsis.

Juliette Jeanclaude : Visual artist, performer and founder of Healing Creativity who The Aerialiste in ONCE BITTEN in Glasgow, Twice Shy's debut show.