Oliveira & Bachtler

Our Work
Oliveira & Bachtler create work rooted in human nature, generating a unique and multi-faceted physical language supported by circus, theatre and movement. With great regard for ambience, they compose to evoke visceral and scenic paintings into the space.

The Begining
Company Oliveira & Bachtler was founded by Sage Bachtler Cushman and Hugo Oliveira in 2014. The duo met when hired for the creation of NoFit State’s multi-award winning show, Bianco, in 2012. They completed several Bianco tours together before dedicating themselves to Oliveira & Bachtler. On tour Sage and Hugo became acquainted with each other’s ethos, performance and education. Off tour they began having coffees punctuated with sardonic humour and copious amounts of laughter. Surprised, they found their guffawing was followed by a quiet tenacity and life’s most delicate disclosures.

Production
Understanding each others artistry and drive was the just beginning of their creative alliance. Production Supported and funded by the Wales Millennium Centre’s creative development program, Incubator, Sage and Hugo composed their first collaboration Portus in 2014. This initial stage of development was presented at the Wales Millennium Centre’s Weston Studio. Chapter’s creative producer of dance programme Coreo Cymru, in association with Chapter and NoFit State Circus, subsequently selected the company to create work in two stages of development. The first stage presented their second collaboration Desert Trees to an international panel at the 2015 Wales Dance Platform. Upon presentation, Company Oliveira & Bachtler were offered continued support and funding through Coreo Cymru and Arts Council of Wales to develop a full- length production entitled OTUS. Oliveira & Bachtler also received support from the Black-E, CASE Cultural do Porto and Cia UmporUm, as well as funding from the Arts Council of England. In 2016 they presented the companies first tour of OTUS at the Dance House Wales Millennium Centre, Festival De Novo Circo, The Riverfront, The Black-E and Theatre Brycheiniog with support from Coreo Cymru, Chapter and the Arts Council of Wales’ Lottery Scheme. In 2017 Company Oliveira & Bachtler received invitation from the Instituto Nacional De Artes Do Circo (INAC) to create and direct DEMUDAR, a show commissioned by the Internacional Festival Vaudeville Rendez-Vous for presentation in the festival. In 2018, Festival Vaudeville Rendez-Vous commissioned Oliveira & Bachtler directly, co-producing Kadok which was then presented in Braga, Guimarães and Famalicão for the festival. In the same year Oliveira & Bachtler was asked to collaborate with Grandpa's Lab, a video mapping company, to create and perform Lenda Da Moura which was presented in front of 10,000 people in Chaves. OTUS was presented in Famalicão and São João da Madeira in 2018 and continues to be well received.

Reveiws

"Occasionally baffling, often beautiful and arresting throughout, OTUS certainly deserves to be widely seen.”

British Theatre Guide

"Otus is a ‘sense-stirringly wonderful’ show that proves the value of harnessing specialist expertise in cross-disciplinary experiments. Neither, as-we-know-it, dance nor circus, the resultant compound is a distinct success.”

Circus Diaries

"Bravo to the braveness of OTUS and the imagination of all involved “

Art Scene In Wales ​

​"Oliveira & Bachtler thrilled audiences with their artistry, compelling narrative and stunning use of integrated art forms. Through Otus, Sage and Hugo demonstrated their wide appeal to all ages and demographics and their extraordinary ability to mesmerise and capture the imagination of their audiences. They offer high quality production values and stunning aesthetics to create authentic and mature work which I believe has global appeal."

Carole Blade, Creative Producer for Coreo Cymru

Online Presents

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Hugo Oliveira, Sage Bachtler Cushman