31 January 1961 – 31 January 2025
Helena was our inspirational Artistic Director from 2006 until 2016. Her loss has filled us with grief and everyone at Pursued by a Bear sends deepest condolences to her family, friends and colleagues. We will remember her with gratitude, affection and admiration. Helena’s talent, grit, dynamism and innate positivity brought the company and our audiences a joyous decade.
Helena worked tirelessly to produce and direct a series of memorable shows and projects, each of which encapsulated our desire to create theatre of global resonance and significance. Her productions were always epic! Helena’s bravery in refusing to compromise her integrity or be confined by the harsh realities of meagre resources seemed to fuel her imagination. She could meld artforms to create a satisfying whole and unite – even across the Atlantic ocean – disparate artists in common endeavour.
Helena created and nurtured a range of wonderful partnerships with organisations and individuals in Surrey, throughout the UK and internationally. She was a source of encouragement and hope for a family of theatre artists. Her heart was especially with writers and we were endlessly proud when those she championed and tended – sometimes at the very beginnings of their careers – gained opportunities and renown.
Helena’s practice was built on her incredible gifts as a director and dramaturge. This was allied with her nous and indefatigability as a creative producer and crowned by her empathy, patience and kindness. We were delighted when she gained her role at Kali and enjoyed seeing all the success they attained together. Despite the immense demands of running such a highly productive company as Kali, we still benefitted from Helena’s unstinting support and her limitless capacity for friendship.
Helena gave us brilliantly entertaining, enlightening and enlivening theatre. Her productions and her ground-breaking, trans-media collaborations with her partner Grant Watson, our beloved Associate Director for Film, stand as some of our greatest achievements. As an artist and as a true and dear friend we will miss her keenly.
Rosamunde Hutt (Artistic Director)
Katherine Ives, Thomas Kell, Katy Silverton, Adam Smith (Trustees)
February 2025