Paddy Crean 2024
Artist Instructors
Lyndall Grant
Melbourne, Australia
Pronouns (She/Her)
Lyndall is a Fight Director, Movement Director, actor and Motion Capture Specialist. She trained in acting at London’s ArtsEd School of Acting before specializing in fight performance from 2007. She is an accredited teacher with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat and a Management Committee member of the Society of Australian Fight Directors. Lyndall is the founding director of Captivate Action, which trains actors in Stage/Screen Combat and Motion Capture. She also teaches at the Victorian College of the Arts, 16th Street Actors Studio and National Theatre Drama School. From 2018 to 2022 Lyndall was Movement Captain, actor and aerialist in Melbourne’s Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
Oula Kitti
Helsinki, Finland
Pronouns (He/Him)
Oula Kitti is Finnish Actor, Stunt, Fight Director, and NSFS Stage Combat Instructor with a wide history in physical theatre. He graduated as a Master of Arts in acting from Tampere university at 2004 and has since worked both as an actor and Fight director in theatres all around Finland.
Jess Finley
Kansas, United States
Pronouns (She/Her)
Jess Finley has had a sword in her hand for the past twenty years. Her initial interest was in stage combat, but not too long after beginning that pursuit began to ask "... but how did they really fight" and from that question branched out to German Medieval Martial Arts. She also has a background studying Judo under the tutelage of Arden Cowherd of Topeka Judo Club. She has taught and competed internationally at events like the Western Martial Arts Workshop in Chicago, USA; Paddy Crean International Workshop in Banff, Canada; Swordfish in Gothenburg, Sweden; and Longpoint in Baltimore, USA and has taught intensives at various events and schools, as well as weekend private intensives at her home. Jess is a published author, having written a book entitled "Medieval Wrestling" on the fifteenth century Master Ott's wrestling treatise of German wrestling techniques.
Siobhan Richardson
Toronto, Canada
Pronouns (She/Her)
Siobhan Richardson is an award-winning actor/fighter/singer/dancer, Fight Director, Intimacy Director and Coordinator, and a teacher. Infusing Joyfulness and Curiosity into the work, she is dedicated to the growth and development of the art form, the artists and the workplace, in support of a vibrant artistic community of adventurous storytellers. Her work has been seen on some of Canada’s premiere stages, at numerous Universities, and around the world through online performance and education. She is a pioneer voice in Intimacy for Stage and Screen and was among the first Intimacy Professionals in Canada. As a part of the negotiating team, Siobhan was an instrumental element for bringing standardized workplace practices the Canadian Theatre Agreement.
Kevin McCurdy
Cardiff, Wales
Pronouns (He/Him)
Kev is an Equity registered professional Fight Director & Choreographer of 23 yrs, professional Stage combat tutor of 30 yrs, Director, Actor and an Action performer. He is very excited & honoured to be part of the Banff family once again.
Kev is also co-founder of The Academy of Performance Combat.
