Ockham’s Razor is a contemporary circus company who combine circus and visual theatre to make work that is arresting and entertaining. We specialise in creating physical theatre on original equipment and create stories from the vulnerability, trust and reliance that exists between physical performers.

Rather than paint the circus performer as a superhuman character capable of impressive feats we make work that draws on the human and the real, where the characters go through recognisable experiences, emotions and conflicts which the audience can relate to. Our shows are exciting and moving and we feel that we’ve achieved our aims when members of the audience have said : “I wanted to come on stage with you”.

The Company was formed in 2004. We met while studying at Circomedia, Academy of Circus Arts and Physical Performance in Bristol. In spring 2006, Turtle Key Arts became our producers.

 

 “Britain’s most innovative aerial theatre group”

Total Theatre

 

We were the first British company to be funded by Jeunes Talents Cirque (now circusnext). In 2007 we premiered our first full evening programme at the London International Mime Festival, to sell-out audiences.

Since then we have performed in theatres and festivals throughout the UK and the world and have established a reputation for innovative, emotive, accessible performances.

The name Ockham’s Razor comes from a logical principle attributed to the medieval philosopher William of Ockham. It states that between two plausible theories, the simpler is preferable. It is called a razor because it cuts out unnecessary elements. As a company we work with this simple approach.

Trust is at the heart of what we do - we are committed to an inclusive, equitable, supportive working environment - creating the conditions for everyone to thrive. We are part of the  Turtle Key Arts Freelancers Manifesto.

Ockham’s Razor are a partner company with The Lowry, Salford and arts depot, North Finchley and an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation.


Who are Ockham's Razor

Alex Harvey

Artistic Director
Head of Rigging / Equipment

Alex studied singing and fine art at university before training at Circomedia, the academy of circus and physical theatre in Bristol. He has been Artistic Director of Ockham’s Razor since 2004 and has performed in, devised and co-directed their shows which have won awards, received critical acclaim and reached audiences around the world.

He has also performed with Improbable, the English National Opera, the Metropolitan Opera New York, the National Theatre, Rosemary Lee, Amici Dance Theatre Company, Oily Cart, Kathryn Hunter & Marcello Magni and Theatre Rites. Alex is also a consultant for equipment design and creative rigging and has worked with companies/artists such as Emma Rice, Wild Children, The Globe, Maisie Whitehead, Sadiq Ali & Out of Order to help them develop and realise their ideas. He is a qualified circus instructor and has run circus theatre workshops worldwide.

 
 

Charlotte Mooney

Artistic Director
Head of Press / Fundraising

Charlotte initially trained as a dancer. While at Sussex University studying Literature she discovered a passion for visual theatre and went to Circomedia to train in aerial and physical theatre. She has been Artistic Director of Ockham’s Razor since 2004 and since then has been devising, directing and performing their work. Alongside this she has also performed with Improbable & ENO, Theatre Rites, Oily Cart, Blue Eyed Soul, Roswitha Gerlitz & Metropolitan Opera. She has worked as a director / movement director for numerous companies including Oddly Moving, Oily Cart, Proteus, Gossamer Thread, Charmaine Childs, HandsDown Circus, She Said Jump, Sadiq Ali, Roundhouse Street Circus Collective and the National Centre for Circus Arts. She has taught devising and directing on the BA course at National Centre for Circus Arts and currently teaches on the MA in Directing Circus at Circomedia.

Charlotte also performs as a storyteller onstage, at festivals, in schools and around campfires across the UK and as a contributor to podcasts such as The Moth.

Alison King

Executive Producer

Alison is the Chief Executive of Turtle Key Arts, a performance arts company that devices and produces original work with a particular emphasis on making art available to all. She has been running the company with Charlotte Cunningham, the Artistic Director, for over twenty-five years, in which time, it has made a significant impact on the arts nationally and internationally.

She is an award-winning theatre and film producer and has produced many great artists and companies, currently Turtle Key Arts are working with Ockham’s Razor, Amici Dance Theatre company, AIK Productions, Open Sky Productions and Sadiq Ali, all of which have created critically acclaimed impactful shows that tour nationally and internationally. Turtle Key Arts have been at the forefront of developing and delivering inclusive outreach and participation projects in the fields of dementia, autism, HIV and dyslexia - working regularly in partnership with organisations including Reading, Durham and Oxford University, Wigmore Hall, English Touring Opera, Royal College of Music, National Portrait Gallery, Lyric Hammersmith and many venues world-wide.

Alison graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 1992 in Stage Management, Technical Theatre and Design. She initially worked as a freelance Stage Manager and Production Manager before joining Turtle Key Arts. Alison is currently the Chair of The National Centre for Circus Arts and was the Chair of The Independent Theatre Council from 2017-2022. Alison is also Chair of Mime London and Open Sky’s advisory boards. She is a published author on Stage Management and Production, and lectures at Universities and colleges, across the UK.

 
 

Turtle Key Arts

 

Turtle Key Arts is a registered charity that produces and devises original, inclusive art to entertain and inspire. They believe that access to the arts helps to improve the quality of life by bringing people together, offering creative opportunities, social inter-action, confidence and self-esteem.

They are award winning theatre and film producers, that produce a number of innovative and original theatre, dance and circus companies that make work that tours nationally and internationally, including the critically acclaimed, internationally renowned Ockham’s Razor and the unique integrated Amici Dance Theatre Company.

They have a long track record of running excellent arts projects, free to all participants, for disabled, disadvantaged and socially excluded people including people with dementia, young people with autism spectrum conditions, dyslexia or living with HIV.

In a typical year their projects reach a national and international audience of 30,000, they work with up to 3000 participants and engage around 400 freelance artists. They regularly support artists through mentoring and consultancy and lecture across the UK sharing their experience and best practice.

Turtle Key Arts have been producing Ockham’s Razor since 2006 and it is a special and enduring partnership, rooted in shared values and ethos and the desire to affect change through art. Both organisations have been at the forefront of contemporary circus theatre and together have created work that has won awards and toured nationally and internationally. Turtle Key Arts are honoured and delighted to continue to work with Ockham’s Razor and are excited to see what the future brings for this inventive and inspiring company.

Tina Koch

Artistic Director Emerita
(2005 - 2021)

Tina studied cultural science and aesthetic communication, specializing in Live Art and Visual Theatre at the Hildesheim University/Germany. She went on to train in acrobalance and aerial at Circomedia academy of circus and physical theatre in Bristol/UK, as a circus instructor at the Zentrum fuer Artistik und Theater in Lahr/Germany and most recently in physical theatre at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA). Tina has extensive experience teaching circus and physical theatre all over Europe in a diverse range of contexts and to a wide spectrum of ages, most recently on the BA at NCCA and on the MA Performance Design and Practice at Central St. Martins and the MA in Directing Circus at Circomedia. As well as directing, devising and performing work as artistic director of Ockham’s Razor, she was instrumental in building Ockham's Razor into one of the UK's leading contemporary circus companies. Tina has worked with La Fura dels Baus, Wildwux, Improbable, Amici Dance Theatre, Oily Cart, Theatre Rites, English National Opera and Metropolitan Opera New York. Her directing work besides Ockham’s Razors shows includes big ensemble pieces like National Centre for Circus Arts ‘wrap, tear, scrunch’ and ‘Impulse’ as well as Stefano Di Renzo’s intimate one man shows ‘On My Way’ and ‘Hold On’. She has been circus consultant and aerial movement director on Oily Carts ‘Mister and Mrs. Moon’ and most recently Levantes Dance Theatre’s ‘The Band’. You can reach her directly at tinaxkoch@gmail.com and follow her on Instagram/Twitter @tinaxkoch and Facebook: www.facebook.com/tinaxkoch

 

Advisory Board

Steve Cowton
Chair of Ockham’s Razor's Advisory Board
Head of Theatre Operations, The Lowry

Kate White
CEO of National Centre for Circus Arts

Dr Bim Mason
Co-founder of Circomedia

Bertie Carvel
Freelance Actor & Director

Helen Lannaghan 
Co-director of LondonMime

Rosemary Lee
Freelance Choreographer, Director, Maker & Performer

Sadiq Ali
Freelance Circus Creator and Performer

 

Creative Mentors

Phelim McDermott
Co-Artistic Director of Improbable

Matilda Laser
Associate Director of Improbable

Dr Bim Mason

Rosemary Lee

 

Financial Advisor

Phil Mackey
Finance Systems Manager

 

More about us and what we do

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