Helen Smith

Helen Smith is a physical theatre performer, teacher and director whose main influences have been Butoh, Suzuki actor training, Viewpoints and more recently, Kathakali, an ancient traditional form of Indian dance theatre. Helen was introduced to the world of Physical Theatre, through Brisbane-based company, Zen Zen Zo with whom she trained, performed nationally and internationally from 1993 to 2017. Helen relocated to Melbourne in 2010 to pursue a Masters researching Butoh practice at Monash University. Helen is most at home when she is exploring innovative combinations of her practice, such as performance projects that involve Butoh and Shakespeare, Butoh and Kathakali, and site-specific Butoh in outdoor performances with an environmental focus. Helen’s latest performance project was in Gabrielle New’s Reclaim the Crone which had its world premiere in Melbourne in April 2023. Helen’s involvement with ButohOUT has been since its conception as both a performer and creative and administrative consultant.

Helen Smith
Creative assistant