I perform under the name Shane Gabriel. I make and perform multidisciplinary theatre and live work rooted in story, embodiment, and transformation. My practice draws on psychophysical theatre, folklore, drag, and ritual-informed approaches, and is shaped by an interest in wonder, play, and the spaces where meaning is made.
While informed by my therapeutic training, this work is not therapy; however, it can be therapeutic in nature, offering space for reflection, resonance, and care for both performers and audiences. It is created for artistic, cultural, and communal contexts.
My work includes solo and collaborative performance, storytelling, and devised theatre. I am open to conversations about performance, collaboration, and creative projects.
Practice
My performance practice draws on psychophysical theatre, classical and contemporary text, drag, and storytelling traditions. I work fluidly across gendered roles and forms, with a long history of devised and autobiographical work.
I am particularly interested in myth, folklore, ritual, and the queer re-imagining of classical texts, using performance as a way of exploring identity, power, vulnerability, and transformation.
My latest production is The Poitín Makers Child.
Selected Performance Credits
Recent and selected work includes:
- The Poitín Makers — Derby Theatre/ Lakeside Arts Nottingham
- Queer Lady M — Shakespeare Playhouse North / National Tour
- Queer Folio (Imogen/Fidele) — 1623 Theatre
- Flourish — Timber Festival / 1623 Theatre
- Macbeth (Lady Macbeth) — National Tour, 1623 Theatre
Full performance history available on request.
Caberet/Festival and Drag
- Drag performance and Hosting -Various venues including UK, New York and Cyprus
- Funny Girls follie- Funny Girls Blackpool
- Rainbow nights – Ryans Bar
- Berlesque at the Dog -Hairydog
- Something to talk about-Derby Festé
Full performance history available on request.
Writing & Directing
Alongside performance, I write and direct devised and autobiographical theatre.
Selected work includes:
- The Poitín Makers — Writer, Derby Theatre
- Queer Lady M — Writer / Performer
- Queer Folio — Writer / Director, 1623 Theatre
- Marat/Sade- Director/Derby theatre
Full writing and directing history available on request.
Training
MA Dramatherapy — University of Derby
BA Theatre Arts — University of Derby
Psychophysical Anthroponomic Theatre — Nicolás Núñez / University of Huddersfield
Affiliations
I am an Associate Artist of 1623 Theatre Company, with whom I have developed and performed several devised and text-based works.
Past work has been supported by :
Arts Council England, Derby Theatre, Lakeside Arts Nottingham, In Good Company, Derbyshire LGBTQ+, Shakespeare Playhouse North, Attinbourgh Arts Centre, Derby Festé, The National Forest, and NHS.