The Team

Founder and Artistic Director 

Laura was a member of ‘Stage ’65 youth theatre at the Salisbury Playhouse, then took a Contemporary Dance Foundation at Swindon Dance and a 3 year Professional Dance Diploma at the London Studio Centre. Here she was able to return to her love of acting and singing, alongside her dance training.

Since graduating, Laura has worked as an actress, rehearsal director, choreographer, movement director, college lecturer and Course Leader for the Level 3 Performing Arts BTEC at City of Bath College. While there she directed many theatre and dance shows at the Ustinov and Egg Theatre, Theatre Royal, Bath, including ‘Honk’ and ‘Seussical the Musical’.

Laura was part of a programme called Women in Radio and trained to work as a Broadcast Assistant for BBC Wiltshire 2014-16. She was the Education and Arts Officer for Chippenham Borough Lands Charity from 2017 - 2024, co-ordinating the Chippenham Arts and Cultural Events Group, as well as producing an annual Fringe Feb festival for 5 years, supporting local artists to work collaboratively for the town to huge success. 

The varied nature of her performance training makes her work creative, physical and often humorous. She adapts classic tales as well as creating original work for the Theatre Company and is really keen to get Chippenham performing outside, in original spaces and in ever more unique ways, alongside the more traditional spaces. She is a big physical theatre fan and keen to bring more of this to Chippenham at some point in the future. 

Director – Contemporary Dance Teacher

Helen trained in Dance and Music, attending the Royal Northern College of Music and Dartington College of Arts before gaining her teaching qualification at Rolle College, Exmouth. She has been involved in many different arts activities over the years. These include teaching Contemporary Dance at the Bristol Dance Centre as one of the inaugural teachers in 1978, a job that she still enjoys after 35 years. 

Helen has been a delegate and organiser for the European Contact Improvisation Teachers Exchange. She has taught and performed in several different European countries at this event in the past 18 years. Choreographic works have included commissions for a solo work for herself and one for the Edinburgh-based dancer Janis Claxton as well as choreography for theatre e.g. ‘Mary Stuart’ directed by Caroline Hunt. 

Helen has completed many outreach projects and workshops, most recently at Merchant’s Academy in South Bristol (October 2013): coincidentally, this was the school at which she first taught music in 1977. The list of her involvement in projects – educational, for television and for theatre – that have included both singing and dance is extensive.

Helen taught Improvisation and technique on the Foundation Degree Dance course at City of Bristol College for seven years. For twenty-four years, she taught a range of Performing Arts skills at City of Bath College, which is where she and Laura became firm friends. Having qualified with the Massage Training Institute in 2004, Helen now also works as a deep tissue massage therapist alongside her community dance work and workshop practice.

We are very lucky to have Helen’s expertise and experience on board. She has been a keen advocate and supporter of Rag and Bone Theatre Company from day one, and has now become one of our Company Directors.

Director - Dance and Physical Theatre

Tamsin has over 20 years experience within FE and Secondary education as a Performing Arts teacher, specialising in dance, drama and physical theatre. She also toured and performed rurally with a Somerset-based Dance Theatre company, which showcased her ability to connect audiences with diverse, original work.

Her passion lies in exposing the many benefits of performing arts to young people and encouraging their participation. Tamsin trained in many forms of jazz and contemporary dance, and different specialised areas of drama alongside this.

Tamsin recently became a creative arts teacher at Abbeyfield Secondary School in Chippenham and is passing on her passion for dance, physical theatre and all things performing arts to a very lucky generation of school pupils. 

Tamsin lives in Chippenham and is as passionate about community and the arts as we are.

We're over the moon to have Tamsin joining us as a Director.

Teen improv facilitator (12-18's) and guest workshop leader 

Jim Coupland is a professional actor, director and practitioner who specialises in the development of authentic performances through fun and active collaboration.

Graduating from Plymouth Conservatoire, Jim has most notably appeared in The Gunpowder Plot (which featured Tom Felton) and has previously appeared in multiple theatre tours. He also made his directorial debut with Krapp’s Last Tape which received acclaim.

We're really excited to have found him just up the road in Swindon and love having him on board.

Art Lead, artist, graphic designer and set and prop maker

Charlie studied graphic design at Bath College of HE, before embarking on a varied career as a graphic designer, sous chef, company co-director and a brief spell as an insurance salesman. He became a fine art and graphics lecturer at Bath College in 2003 and the set designer for the Performing Arts department from 2008.  He also ran the Life Drawing classes there and at Bath University for around 5 years to great success.

As the Performing Arts Theatre Designer he designed a space ship with opening airlock for ‘Return to the Forbidden Planet’, a disappearing door for ‘Alice – the Musical’, a full sized wicker boat for ‘The Snow Queen’ and a movable, usable set for the college production of ‘Olive’ –  all at the egg Theatre, Bath.

Charlie left Bath College in 2014 to concentrate on return to creating artwork of his own and building the art reputation at Rag and Bone Arts. 

Come and see if you have the artistic flair. It's a lovely calm environment to relax in and learn new skills . Chat, draw, learn some techniques and hang out with other budding artists.

Sound and Technical support, Singing Tutor (occasional)

Clive Stocker (BA PGCE MA) is a lecturer in Music and specialises in performance and composition. Being an active Jazz musician, Clive performs with his Jazz Group, ‘The Chilli Beans’ on Keyboards and also sings in the acepella group, ‘Adlib’ which were formed whilst he was still at University. Clive has studied music and music education and has a keen interest in confidence coaching and is an avid blogger on the subject.

His book, ‘How to be a Confident Performer’ has recently been launched. Clive has worked with the Rag and Bone Theatre Company since the start and is proud to support such excellent theatre, dance and art in his resident town. He also arranges our backing tracks, edits our sound, and teaches any harmonies that we might need.