Philippa Vafadari - actress/aerialist

Anglo/Iranian in origin, Philippa trained as an actress at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She created the roles of Regan, Seven Lears ,(1989) and Goodgirl, Golgo , (1990) for Howard Barker's The Wrestling School at the Royal Court Theatre , London . She went on to work in regional rep and with Asian theatre company, Tara Arts. Since training as an aerial artiste at The Circus Space, London, she has worked as an actress/aerialist/choreographer in Boilerhouse Theatre Co's Circus (1999/2000), V.amp Productions' Burning Bright (2001) and Communicado/Sounds of Progress' Brave (2002). For BandBazi, her work as producer and performer includes the self-penned Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (1999) ( Scotland , England and Germany ), the Iranian/Scottish R&D project, Suzy=Soraya (2000), In Audrey Hepburn's Arms (2004/5) (SE regional tour) and The Persian Cinderella (2005/6). She is guest director of The Circus Project's Youth Circus, as well as running BandBazi's Above & Beyond project with young refugees and asylum seekers aged 15-25. She has just finished playing Audrey Hepburn and Holly in the company's award winning Breakfast at Audrey's (2005/6) ( UK and German Tour).

John Binnie - Writer/director

Co-founder of Clyde Unity Theatre who have been in regular receipt of Project funding from the Scottish Arts Council. Multi award-winning writer and director of over 20 productions. His work has toured Scotland , the UK and abroad. It includes Beyond the Rainbow (1989 Fringe First Award); A Little Older (1992 Independent Theatre Award Winner); Accustomed to Her Face (1993 Fringe First Award); Breadmakers (Spirit of Mayfest Award); Armistead Maupin's Babycakes , Last Night (Red Ladder Theatre Co., Leeds ); and Coconut (1999) with contemporary dancer Rosina Bonsu. He was also director of Pussy Galore's Flying Circus (1999), Suzy=Soraya (2000); In Audrey Hepburn's Arms ( 2004) The Persian Cinderella (2005), Breakfast at Audrey's (2005/6 Fringe First Award). He was Lecturer in Playwriting at Glasgow University , as well as directing at the Universities of Massachusetts and Portland , Oregon , RSAMD, QMUC (Edinburgh) and Northbrook College . His radio play, Summer Sectioned (2001) was broadcast on Radio 4. He wrote and directed a Scottish/Namibian cross-cultural production, Journey (Tramway, Glasgow 2002 - British Council). His opera direction includes Turandot (2003) and Carmen (2004) both for Edinburgh Grand Opera. Since February 2004 he has been teaching playwriting for the British Council in Nigeria . He returned there this February 2006 to co-produce Our House with Clyde Unity Theatre and Jos Theatre Co ( Nigeria ). He has just written Monster's Tears and Good Sister Bad for Lung Has' special needs company in Edinburgh . He currently mentors mental health playwriting group Out Of The Dark in Dunfermline .