Tom Espiner

Tom Espiner is an actor, theatre practitioner, puppeteer and Foley artist.

He trained as an actor at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has been working in theatre since 1999.

His performance work for theatre includes Life of Pi (Sheffield Crucible) Berberian Sound Studio (Donmar Warehouse) Macbeth, Twelfth Night, The Winter’s Tale (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory, Bristol); Anything Goes, Love’s Labour’s Lost (National Theatre); The Firework Maker’s Daughter (Told by an Idiot/Lyric Hammersmith); Peggy for You (Hampstead/West End); Tombstone Tales (Arcola); The Table, The Puppeteer (Blind Summit); Madam Butterfly (ENO/Blind Summit); The Magic Flute (Complicite/DNO), London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony (Danny Boyle/Blind Summit); Caucasian Chalk Circle, Britain’s best Recruiting Sergeant (Unicorn); Ether Frolics (Sound&Fury with artists from Shunt); Kursk (Sound&Fury/Young Vic/Sydney Opera House); Going Dark (London Science Museum/Sound&Fury). His television and film work includes

Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire, Anybody’s Nightmare; Without Motive; Casualty; The Bill, Stoned.

As a Foley artist Tom made sound effects for numerous natural history films including BBC’s The Natural World, animations for Aardman and various dramas. His Foley work in theatre includes Simon McBurney’s world premiere production of The Magic Flute (Complicite/DNO).

He was the Foley designer and performer, playing Massimo for Tom Scutt’s production of Berberian Sound Studio (Donmar Warehouse).

Tom’s puppetry work has been predominantly with Blind Summit theatre including The Table (Spoleto festival USA and European tour), The Puppeteer (Lorca Institute in Granada, Spain, Il Funaro, Edinburgh Pleasance Dome, Latitude festival), Anthony Minghella’s critically acclaimed production of Madam Butterfly for the ENO, Danny Boyle’s London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony.

He directed the puppetry for Oscar Pearce’s production of Great Apes for the Arcola Theatre, and as a Blind Summit associate for Hijinix Theatre’s hit show Meet Fred.

He teaches acting, puppetry and Foley artistry on a freelance basis.

Tom is co-founder of Sound&Fury Theatre Company and has co-created and performed in all their productions including War Music, The Watery Part of the World, Ether Frolics, Kursk, Going Dark and Charlie Ward.