Bowjangles have a long-standing proven track record of creating excellent, high-quality and entertaining shows that rural and underserved audiences want to see. They’ve created many pieces of work that are suitable for non-traditional arts venues in terms of tech, logistics and space. Years of rural touring and street performing has enhanced their understanding and provided insight into performing to audiences unaccustomed to classical music.
Bowjangles began in 2008 as a classical string quartet who wanted to do things a little differently. Starting as street performers in Covent Garden, over the years they added song, dance, comedy, physical theatre, storytelling and puppetry to make performances unlike anything audiences had ever seen before. They have created 6 original theatre shows and tour globally in theatres, arts centres, schools, cabarets and arts festivals, playing to people of all ages and from all walks of life.
Taking the show to the people
They have been performing on the Rural Touring scheme in England for 17 years and have been nominated for Rural Touring Awards Best Practise. Their show ‘Excalibow’ won Spirit of the Fringe award in 2018 at Edinburgh Fringe which they subsequently took to the SoHo Playhouse ‘off Broadway’ in New York, on a tour of China and headlined the musical comedy festival ‘ Gesto Orelhudo’ in Portugal.
CBeebies
Bowjangles have been featured on ‘Yolanda’s Band Jam’ on CBeebies. And subsequently made their debut at The Royal Festival Hall on London’s South Bank as a part of the children’s festival ‘Imagine’.
Supported by Arts Council England
They have received 2 ACE project grants to write and tour their original rock opera ‘Dracula In Space’ to underserved communities via rural touring schemes and small art centres. They composed a brand new score, devised and wrote a brand new play and developed their creative practice through the use of tech, using backing tracks, foley and sound design all triggered by the performers live on stage.
In 2023 they took ‘Dracula In Space’ to Edinburgh fringe where it received critical acclaim, gaining 5 star reviews and being featured on ITV and Sky News.
Bowjangles performed to Her Majesty the Queen
On her first official visit to East Anglia in 2023.
Glastonbury Festival
Bowjangles perform every year at Glastonbury Festival, one of the few classical acts to perform at the world’s largest arts festival.
Bowjangles are D’Addario Orchestral Featured Artists.
Mitch
Mitch McGugan is a classically trained Violinist and Drummer born in London and now living in Norfolk. He studied at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Institute of Contemporary Music.
His early training was in Suzuki violin method, a method based in healthy posture that he now uses to teach his own students. Mitch joined ‘Bowjangles’ in 2008. The physical nature of the job requires all performers to be relaxed while they play, which Mitch has integrated into his own teaching, focusing on good posture, relaxed limbs and setting good habits where posture and composure involved early on in his students’ learning.
He is known for being the 1st violinist in Bowjangles, combining his virtuosic violin playing with clowning, comedy and vocal skills and on the flip side he is an extreme metal drummer in Kayrbdis.
Being an extreme metal drummer requires similar harmonic coordination and control to his role in Bowjangles, something that fascinates him and also plays an important role in his teaching, where attention to pulse and rhythm plays an important role within the lessons.
This is something that Mitch is excited to bring to their new educational show, to use aspects of timekeeping and rhythm in games and audience interaction to challenge and educate while still being fun and engaging.
When Mitch is not playing music, he is working with his wife at their Doggy Daycare centre in Norfolk where he is also currently in training to be a part-time dog groomer!
Bertie
AKA Bertie Bow is an award-winning musician and composer from North Norfolk.
Her musical journey began in Cromer where she learnt violin & piano with local teachers. Going on to study at The Purcell School of Music, The Royal College of Music and City University. On viola she has enjoyed a varied career; performing in the west end’s Lion king, tv appearances including Top of the Pops (Shapeshifters), Xfactor and Celebrity Big Brother and performing with artists Sam Smith, Tom Baxter, Blake, Camilla Kerslake and John Barrowman.
As a song writer she became known on the English folk and festival circuit with her band The BeauBowBelles and her music has been played on BBC 6 introducing, BBC London, Wales and Norfolk. In 2020 Bertie moved back to Cromer with her husband and two children.
Within Bowjangles she is thee musical director, recently composing their critically acclaimed rock opera ‘Dracula In Space’, and going on to produce the musical audio story book album of the show.
She has gained a reputation with ‘Poppyland Songs; Life On A Cliff Edge’, a musical deep dive into North Norfolk history. This won her a Norfolk Arts Award and the accompanying podcast was aired on BBC Radio Norfolk and the CD album and book is available to buy in Jarrolds, Cromer.
The creation of Poppyland Songs show, album and podcast was supported by 2 ACE project grants. Combined with her work in Bowjangles, she is now very experienced in developing, producing and touring new stage shows.
Bertie released her instrumental album Violin Song at the end of last year to coincide with her debut appearance in the Cromer Pier Christmas Show starring alongside the infamous Olly Day and cast. In April 2025 she released her self-produced album TiLT, inspired by the seasons in North Norfolk.
She teaches instrumental music lessons to all ages and is very keen to develop a more family focused educational strand to Bowjangles’ productions.
Ollie
Oliver Izod is a musician, actor, comedian, writer, improviser and director. He trained at East 15 Acting School and is the 2nd violinist in Bowjangles. But like the other members he has many other skills that he brings to the group.
Bowjangles is largely self-directed lead by Ollie with his eye for comedy and wealth of experience in theatre and movement. He wrote the script for Dracula in Space, working closely with Bertie in the creation of the show. Behind the scenes Ollie is Ezme’s right hand in running the group and has become the lead in graphic and content design, social media and video production.
Acting work includes: Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland (Watermill Theatre), Betty Blue Eyes (Leeds Playhouse), The Hired Man (Leicester Curve).
In Comedy and Improv Oliver is the host of BattleActs (as heard on BBC Radio 1), a Musical Comedy Awards Finalist with his own solo character comedy, he also improvises music for Austentatious (West End, BBC Radio 4) as well as musical appearances with Improbable, Showstopper, Mischief Theatre, Mike McShane and many more.
As a writer Oliver has written for BBC3 shows as well as 2 full length shows for Bowjangles and one of his own.
Oliver has worked as a director/outside eye, consulting for a range of theatre, comedy and circus including Collectif AndThen, CarmenCo and Egg.
Ezme
Ezme Gaze trained at the Purcell School and the Royal College of Music. She is the original founder of Bowjangles and manages the group on a day to day basis. Ezme also performs as a solo cellist, and has performed and recorded with various popular artists including The Cinematic Orchestra, Elbow, The Heavy, Swindle and Kojey Radical. She is currently touring her solo cello show around venues in East Anglia with a focus on underserved elderly audiences with complex needs.
Backstage in Bowjangles Ezme is also the prop department. She has been designing and building props for the group since the beginning including making programmed light up bows, building violin shaped spaceships and designing and building the entire set for Dracula in Space. Ezme is hot on precision when it comes to both choreography and music and maintains the groups high standards.
