The Feathers of Daedalus: Surrealist storytellers

We have been making award winning circus, theatre and cinematic spectacles for the past seven years. Founded in 2016 by Joanna Vymeris, we strive for multidisciplinary collaborations that push artistic boundaries and keep a social message at their core. We have received numerous Arts Council England grants for our productions and films and have made work across the UK and in Brazil and worked with top British talent such as Roger McGough OBE and Westend producer Julius Green.

Narcissus 2023 - Theatre and circus

Winner of the VAULT festival After Dark award, this new sell out show by the Feathers of Daedalus and Ruby Wednesday brings together live music, daring contemporary circus, mesmeric performance art and poetry, born out of the Feathers and Ruby Wednesday’s hit ★★★★★ 2020 show Tarot. Following VAULT festival, Narcissus headlined Re-Enchant: Poetic Experiments for A New World at The Cockpit.

Who stares back at you from behind the silver?

Do you truly know them? Could you truly love them?

Narcissus will transport you beyond the mirror, into a shadowed world.

Don’t look backwards, look inwards.

Bring something to burn. 

Eternal Hourglass 2023 - Film

An elderly woman recollects and reconnects with her past as her memories fade back to her in the form of a dance; a dream, a nightmare.

Feathers third film Eternal Hourglass brings together world class acrobats Isis Clegg-Vinell, Cornelius Atkinson and Nathan Price, with octogenarian performer Joan Le Vasseur, for a tense political period drama inspired by Nietzsche’s Eternal Return and the spread of right wing ideology the world over. Trust in times of mistrust plays out on screen as personal and professional relationships are pushed to the limit.

KingDom 2022 - Film

Six drag kings embark on a moustache curling adventure to steal the Monument to Masculinity, a solid gold urinal, in a mad-cap attempt to keep their gentlemen’s club 'KingDom' afloat in times of economic peril.  

This comic satire puts the underrepresented art of the drag king centre stage and, in a time when live performance remains complicated, gives some of the UK's finest queer cabaret artists a chance to showcase their work on screen. It captures the theatricality, comedy and artistry of the queer cabaret scene and shows, above all, the artifice and construct of traditional notions of gender especially in film and mainstream cinema genres. This is not a drama about women being drag kings. This is a world RUN by kings. This is the king’s world. This is their KingDom. 

Joanna cast KingDom during the first two lockdowns and developed the project over zooms working with some already established drag kings to build the group and develop new characters. The film is funded by the Arts Council England and Kickstarter. KingDom was completed in January 2022 and launched at the iconic Glory in London. It has since started its festival journey and made its international premier at Wicked Queer this year and screened at 15 international festivals in 6 countries. It was awarded Best Director at LALGBTQ+ film festival and an award for excellence at Unbordered LGBTQ. It also won best editing at QueerStories, and best short at Orchid International Queer film festival ROSARITO. It has screened at the biggest queer film festivals in India, South Korea and central and eastern Europe.

PartUs 2021 - Film

PartUs is a short documentary performance film exploring the experience of a pregnant circus artist preparing for birth against the backdrop of the pandemic. The film was written and conceived by aerialist Rosie Rowlands and directed by Joanna Vymeris (Feathers of Daedalus Circus). PartUs blends Rosie's aerial piece which she performed 8 months pregnant with animation (by Rosa Boeira), poetry (by Elle Dillon-Reams), new composition (by Aelfwyn Shipton), body art (by Jennifer Thomas) and audio interview with circus mothers. All profits from the video will go towards the development of a one woman live show further developing themes of pregnancy, motherhood and performance with the artists involved. The film played at the Oscar qualifying American Documentary and Animation Festival in April 2022 as well as at the London Independent Film Festival and the Circus International Film Festival and Living Records Festival.

PartUs is made thanks to support from the Arts Council England, The Feathers of Daedalus Circus, Mimbre, Jacksons Lane Theatre and the National Centre for Circus Arts.

Sky in the Pie 2020 - Theatre and circus

OSO Arts Centre, February 2020, VAULT Festival 2020

The poetry of Roger McGough explodes from the page to the stage in this fantastical circus and puppetry adventure where pigs fly and the sky is in the pie. Join a day-dreaming boy for one amazing day where he discovers the extra-ordinary in the ordinary wherever he goes.

The Feathers of Daedalus Circus have teamed up with celebrated author and poet Roger McGough for this new wonderfully wacky children’s production inspiring young and old to fall in love with poetry. With circus, physical theatre, puppetry and projection, the Feathers explore fun and fantastical ways to play with poetry, dipping into works from Roger’s 50 year career topped up with new poems especially created for the show. 

Everything Theatre ★★★★ ‘an hour of pure beauty, both for the ears and the eyes. Whilst it may predominately be aimed at children, the adults in the audience are just as enchanted by the spectacle of it all. This is a show that surely should be reclaimed for us adults so we can all be young again for an hour during a cold wet afternoon.’

Reviews Hub ★★★★ ‘This tremendously entertaining show aims to inspire young and old to fall in love with poetry and the Feathers of Daedalus Circus company magnificently ensures that the colours of the brash and breezy presentation “quite tickle the pallet with a blend of delicate hues” – and may even, in the words of the title poem, help audiences “acquire a taste for the Cosmos” that the Arts have to offer.’

Upper Circle ★★★★ ‘While clearly designed for children aged 4-12, there is really something for all members of the family to enjoy in this show from infant to elderly.’

Tarot 2020 and 2019 - Theatre and circus

The Vaults UK, Bijou tent Assembly Festival, Underbelly, and VAULT Festival 2020.

The freedom of fortune or the dark depths of downfall, in the turn of a card.
From the glimmer in a crystal ball or the swirl of the tealeaves, the Feathers conjure up a magical night of circus, music, improvisation, imagination and divination. A live audience tarot card reading will guide our per- formers in this unpredictable tale, where all is possible, and everything is unexpected. When the first card is turned our journey begins. Will the fool become the empress or the king lose his crown? Will the lovers be trapped in the caverns of the moon or the stars shine down on the hapless hanged man. You can shuffle the deck, you can lay down the cards, but the fates will dictate who will fly and who will fall.

Within Her Words ★★★★★ ‘Prepare to be completely captivated and awestruck with every element of the show.’

London Theatre Review ★★★★ ‘it is like a pot of magic that has all of the right ingredients; music, location that is perfectly matched to the subject matter; skilled performers and a little bit of mysticism added to spice it up.’

Culture Fly ★★★★ ‘Director Joanna Vymeris takes the haunting and private world of tarot, putting its theatricality centre stage in thrilling fashion.’

Everything Theatre ★★★★ ‘Both genre and gender are boundless in this show. In this one place you encounter circus, comedy, a concert and onstage Tarot reading.’

730 Review ★★★★ ‘It’s dark and tempting; like the desire to discover your future in a pack of cards’

Spy in the Stalls ★★★★ ‘irresistibly watchable, Tarot is original, free-spirited and entertaining’

Wee Review ★★★★ ‘a magnificent, magical circus display with an incredible soundtrack and a look to die for’

EdFringe Review★★★★ ‘Tarot is a spell-binding hour of incredible human feats that leaves you awestruck and changed. We’re not sure whether it’s theatre, or acrobatics, or dance, or comedy, or clairvoyance. The Feathers of Daedalus perform a jaw-dropping blend of all of these that combines to be truly mind- bending: this must be circus.’

Broadway Baby ★★★★‘Tarot cards occupy an interesting place in our culture, from esoteric symbols of divination to prisms through which psychoanalysts can explore subconscious archetypes. This show infuses this powerful cultural imagery with music, energy and impressive, highly-charged physical performance’.

The Mumble ★★★★ ‘Poetic, but non verbose, humorous, but atmospheric at all times, ethereal or intense, Tarot is a soulful and playful journey that adjusts the past at the present and vice versa without feeling pretentious or forced.’

Mythologue 2018 - Theatre and Circus

CAN Circus festival, Teatro Pedro Ivo, Brazil

The tales of four Greek mythological icons are revived through circus, sopken word and live music.
Prepare to be transported to a world of trickery, distrust and dishonesty.

While Pandora is tormented by temptation Orpheus delves deep into the underworld to retrieve his stolen love.
The Minotaur waits alone and enraged

at the heart of the devil’s labyrinth And Icarus falls softly
From the sun
to the sea.

‘Mythologue opens the door to four classic tales of romance, tragedy and loss. From Pandora’s box to Icarus, Feathers of Daedalus have created a fast-paced, captivating show which blends high level acrobat- ics with playful dance and charming characterisation. The show strikes a satisfying balance between the artistic and the physi- cal, as the impressive aerial displays are tempered by moments of poignant emotion’- Amy Shipway, General Manager of Aerial Edge

A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2018 - Theatre and circus

Fairies guided the audience round the beautiful forests of Rosemary, where hidden performers waited to captivate their imagination and transport them to a surreal world of drama and dreams. This famous story of love, confusion and mischievous enchantment is brought to you by performers from 7 countries, united by the Feathers of Daedalus and Circocan School of Circus.

Rosemary Dream, Florianopolis, Brazil

“When Feathers of Daedalus approached us with their idea to create an immersive circus version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the jungle, we had no idea what to expect. What was created in the end was the most beautiful, magical experience, one of the most talked-about events that we’ve had here at Rosemary. The team were a pleasure to work with, so much attention to detail from the costumes and decor to the perfectly curated music. Feathers of Daedalus really know how to coordinate complex choreography and create memorable experiences” General Manager, Rosemary Dream

Coppelia 2017 - Theatre and circus

Love: paternal, possessive, unrequited, unknown. Coppélia ex- plores what happens when desire dominates reason, when jealousy leads sanity astray, and when, as so often in love, all is not quite as it seems. The infamous ballet will be stripped bare, swallowed and spat out through the compelling voice of contemporary circus, transforming this Hans Bellmer-esque tale of a mechanical doll into a Freudian nightmare. The powerful story of infatuation, mechani- sation and domination, will be realised in an experimental, multi- disciplinary fashion. Circus, film and spoken word sit side by side, a unique examination of love and the uncanny.

Jacksons Lane, Palais Du Variete Assembly Festival, Edinburgh Fringe

Wee Review “Entertaining and…intelligent” ★★★★


EdFringe Reveiew “A spectacle of jaw dropping beauty infused with modern relevance” ★★★★

British Theatre Guide “Truly breathtaking” ★★★★

Alice 2016 - Theatre and Circus

The Feathers of Daedalus debut production, through the University of Cambridge, performed at the ADC theatre and The Gilded Ballon Edinburgh.

Audiences met a break-dancing caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat on a trapeze, and the Mad Hatter’s tea party transformed by juggling and magic. After witnessing such a variety of impressive performances, they could believe that six impossible things certainly can happen before breakfast.

CTR “A Visual Feast” ★★★★★


The Tab “Rapturous applause...Never has it been so well deserved” ★★★★★

Varsity.co.uk “Spellbinding” ★★★★★