Since graduating from The Northern School of Art’s BA (Hons) Acting for Stage & Screen course, Elen Bodey has developed a varied career as an actor, performer, writer and director, working across theatre, screen, puppetry, voice and live performance.
Elen has built experience through a range of fringe and independent projects, including work with fellow graduates and The BrainSoup collective. Her acting work has encompassed puppetry, voice-over, physical theatre, clowning, short films, music videos and touring children’s theatre, allowing her to explore different forms of performance and develop her skills across a variety of creative projects.
A particular highlight of Elen’s career has been her solo performance work. Her original solo show received the Arc Award for Best Solo Show in 2024, with an industry panel praising her performance and the combination of performance styles and puppetry within the piece. The show explores themes of identity and belonging, drawing on Elen’s experience of moving away from her home in Wales and her relationship with Welsh identity and mythology.
The award also provided an opportunity for Elen to continue developing the production, with plans to explore further puppetry, movement and Welsh mythology. Her practice demonstrates an interest in combining different performance disciplines to tell personal and contemporary stories in inventive ways.
Alongside acting and performing, Elen has expanded into directing and theatre-making. Her experience at The Northern School of Art included creating her own work as well as performing, and she has continued to develop her creative practice beyond acting. Her professional experience has included assisting on a production of Twelfth Night at Theatr Clwyd, adding another dimension to her growing experience within theatre.
Elen’s career demonstrates the range of opportunities available through Acting for Stage & Screen, with her work extending beyond traditional acting roles into puppetry, writing, devising, directing and creating original performance. Her journey reflects a developing practice built around experimentation, collaboration and a willingness to explore different forms of storytelling.
Her experience at The Northern School of Art helped her develop as both a performer and creator, with opportunities to explore voice acting, screen acting, devising and different forms of live performance. As her career develops, Elen continues to build on that multidisciplinary approach, creating work as well as performing in it.