Hi, I’m Karina and I’m a visually impaired actor, aerialist, belly dancer and vocal coach from Wales. I trained at Liverpool Hope University and The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and also work as a voice and accent coach, an audio description consultant and I’m a qualified NLP practitioner.
Latest News
Holes on ITV Backstage!
Check out our feature on ITV Backstage for Holes at Eisteddfod
https://www.itv.com/walesprogrammes/articles/backstage-at-the-eisteddfod-episode-1

Funny HaHa – Book Publication coming soon!
I love being a part of Little Cog’s Funny Haha disabled women’s comedy writers room. I recently wrote work for A Night of Radical Acts performed at The Arc Stockton. I was very excited to learn that our next work will be published! The book will be themed on All The Women I Could Have Been. Find out more here

Where do I sit? – Unlimited International Award
I am delighted to announce we have been awarded an Unlimited International Award to develop and perform in the circus production WHERE DO I SIT? with Tamba Africa Social Circus. This will be performed in Zimbabwe in 2023 and Shambala in 2024. Find out more on my Aerialist Page.
Members of Tamba Africa Social Circus company performing. A woman and two men gaze out front with big smiles on their faces, arms stretched out in front of them. Behind sit drummers. Everyone has various patterns painted on their face in white, red and blue.
Holes
Commissioned by Articulture and the Wales Outdoor Arts Consortium. I loved touring Wales this summer with Holes, an aerial circus piece I created and performed in. Find out more on my Aerialist Page.

New Aerial Showreel!
Delighted to share my new aerial showreel with you
Five Star reviews for Much Ado About Nothing!

I am currently touring the UK playing Antonia in Much Ado About Nothing with Sheffield Theatres and Ramps on the Moon. We have received some fantastic reviews including 5 stars from The Guardian amongst others! We are performing until 12th November. Check out our venue dates and book tickets HERE

#Theatre for Change

Whilst performing at Leeds Playhouse I had the opportunity to join the Ramps on the Moon Symposium for the #Theatre for Change movement. access and inclusion within the theatre industry. It was an honour to be part of this event all about access and inclusion within the theatre industry.
Much Ado About Nothing
I am absolutely delighted to be joining the cast of Much Ado About Nothing with Sheffield Theatres and Ramps on the Moon. I will be playing Antonia from September in Sheffield before embarking on a UK tour until November. For more information on the production and tour venues, please follow this LINK to The Ramps on the Moon website.
Image Description – Headshot photographs of 18 actors on a bright pink background. Text reads – Much Ado About Nothing, Sheffield Theatres Fri 9th-Sat 24th September Image Description – Karina in a rehearsal studio wearing her blonde hair in a bun and an orange ‘Sheffield theatres’ lanyard. She is holding a small black box.
Extant Pathways
I have thoroughly enjoyed taking the Directors and Writers Pathway courses with Extant. I am currently developing skills, experience and creating my own work. I also will be showcasing some of my writing with Extant at The Cockpit Theatre in June!

The Secretaries – Young Vic, Audio Description
I had a wonderful time working as an audio description consultant with the Young Vic Theatre for their production of ‘The Secretaries’. Find out more about the show here
Young Vic Logo, black text on a white background with slogan, It’s a big world in here
Flying Fantastic – Audio Description
I have loved working with Flying Fantastic and providing audio description for a range of different projects. I worked with a new company and piece of circus for five weeks throughout April and May looking at accessibility and creative audio description. So excited to see where they all go next!
Flying Fantastic logo, a dark blue square with flying fantastic written in dark blue inside two white boxes on top of each other. In between the white boxes are light blue shapes creating a banner effect.
RIGA Circus Conference 2022
I had a great time at the Riga International Circus Conference. I was invited to Latvia to deliver a talk on audio description in Circus and the live arts, a highly rewarding experience!
Riga Circus Logo, red and white circus big top image on a red background with Rigas Circus beneath in bold white lettering

I loved getting to discuss accessible work and sharing ideas!
Macbeth – Leeds Playhouse 2022
I’m so proud of ‘Macbeth’ at the Leeds Playhouse. The production has BSL and audio description built into the show itself and has been receiving great reviews. I’m really enjoying the show so come and catch us if you can, playing until 19th March.


I am delighted to be joining the cast of Macbeth with Leeds Playhouse. We are currently in rehearsals and I will be playing the role of Witch/Gentlewoman from February 26th- March 19th
Headshots of the eleven cast members of Macbeth at Leeds Playhouse, including Karina
Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend!
I have so enjoyed creating and performing my new aerial piece directed by Edward Lee Swift and choreographed by Megan Price.
Aerial Photoshoot
I am delighted to share my latest aerial shoot with the fabulous KEP Photo. Check out the full album on my Aerialist page.


Curtain Up!
Performing with Theatre Clwyd in Curtain Up! August 2021



It was great to get back to the theatre and perform with Theatre Clwyd this summer. I played three different roles in three short plays directed by Tamara Harvey.
New Voice reel!
Listen now to my new commercial voice reel created with Reel Recordings

Portrait and Landscape
Vertical Dance Bursary with Kate Lawrence

I am very excited to receive a bursary to work with Kate Lawrence Vertical Dance on their ‘Portrait and Landscape’ programme. I will be exploring the art form of vertical dance to enhance and further my aerial practise. I look forward to these bi-monthly events with a variety of exciting practitioners.
Wise Children Theatre Company
Writing for Live Performance Course

I was thrilled to be selected for the ‘Writing for Live Performance’ Course with Wise Children. I will work with Joel Horwood and Yolanda Mercy on this two week course in March to continue to develop my script writing skills and develop a new idea. Can’t wait!
Extant Pathways
Pathways Writers Course 2021

I am really enjoying being on the Extant Pathways Writing Course. Extant run artist development programmes for blind and visually impaired artists and I am using this course to work on my script writing skills to create my own work later this year. You can learn more about Extant and Pathways here
Jerwood Arts Announcement
Live Work Fund Awardee 2021
I am absolutely delighted to be received the Jerwood Arts Live Work Fund Award 2021. This grant will support my aerial practise allowing me to develop new skills and new work. It also enables me to carry out research into creative audio description for physical art such as circus and aerial work.

Find out more about the Live Work Fund here
Talking Bodies
Writing commission with Hot Coals Productions

I was delighted to be commissioned by Hot Coals Productions to develop a short film script I was shortlisted as a writer for the development stage of their ‘Talking Bodies’ project and my first short film ‘Blind Date’. This was filmed, performed by Amy Forrest and we had an online sharing in February 2021. I am looking forward to developing this script further and seeing where it goes next. Watch this space!
Unlimited Micro Commission
My new performance ‘Aerial Sicilienne’
In the lockdown of 2020 I was commissioned by Unlimited Arts to create an audio described aerial piece. I have been training on my garden aerial rig over Zoom and I’m delighted to share my finished digital performance with you. Please enjoy AERIAL SICILIENNE
Vocal Coaching
Bomb Happy Audio Play by Everwitch Theatre
I have enjoyed keeping busy with my vocal coaching in 2020. One really exciting project I was involved in is the very moving Audio Play ‘Bomb Happy’ by Everwitch Theatre. The trailer is below. To listen to the whole play and for more info on my voice coaching please check out my Vocal Coaching page.
Making RSC History!
Playing my understudy role of Jaques…

I have recently finished being part of the rep company for the Royal Shakespeare Company. I started working with the RSC in 2018 and have been performing in ‘As You Like It’ and ‘Measure for Measure’ since then. We played a season in Stratford-Upon-Avon, The Lowry, Salford, The Barbican Theatre, London and then a UK tour. I finished the tour playing my Understudy role of Jaques in ‘As You Like It’, being the first visually impaired actor to go on as an Understudy for the Royal Shakespeare Company! You can read more about it in The Stage
Please see my Gallery for production photos

More RSC News
Hear my recent interview with BBC Radio 4 about my work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Listen here


RSC Rep Company- Delighted to announce that I am part of the RSC’s rep company 2019/2020. I am currently performing As You Like It and Measure for Measure in Stratford-upon-Avon. Following the season in Stratford we will perform at The Lowry, Salford and The Barbican, London before embarking on a UK tour in 2020! See the website below for dates and how to buy tickets…
Votes for Women
I’ve been nominated!
I have been nominated for the Votes for Women celebration by Shaun Prendergast. Incredibly grateful to be nominated alongside a whole list of fantastic women! Check out out the post here-
Clore Fellowship
Becoming a leader of Theatre
I have been selected for The Clore Fellowship 2018/2019! I am one of twenty four fellow selected and will be working to become a leader of Theatre with the Arts Council. I am delighted to become a fellow and for the exciting year ahead. To read all about it please visit – https://www.cloreleadership.org/who-are-the-clore-15.aspx

Author Teo-Alfie-DaisyPosted on November 30, 2016Edit