Sally Boon
Loughborough
Performance artists
Mardyarts is a partnership between Sally Boon and Neil Broughton.
Sally trained as a dancer and theatre-maker at Dartington College of Arts developing cross-collaborative art practices whilst there. She explores the possibilities, which arise, when theatre and performance art converge. Asking the question – what is performance? What is art? She achieves this, directly, through her alter-ego Queenie Tea.
Neil is an artist, musician, soundscapist, theatre maker and filmmaker who trained at Dartington College of Arts. He works in a diverse range of mediums and genres.
Sally and Neil are absurdists who make performance, which does not fit neatly into a category.
Queenie Tea is a provocation. She does not follow the rules. She is often mistaken as a children’s entertainer but she does not tolerate children! Queenie Tea is celebrating her 12th year of ‘being’ and Mardyarts, are committed to placing Queenie in a variety of performance contexts, enabling diverse audiences to encounter her, thereby furthering the ongoing development of the concept of ‘Queenie Tea’. Queenie Tea raises questions surrounding the notion of ‘What is Art?’. She understands that she is an artistic concept embodied in a ‘character’.
The Palimpsisters combine Neil's musicianship and Sally's skills as a dancer.
Drowning Not Raving is their current work that has been perfomred at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022 and Dartington College of Arts October 2022
The Palimpsisters are keen to work in collaboration with other experts/artists. Particularly, experts from other fields. Their first collaboration has been with Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy.
Queenie's Tea Party - December 12th 2019
In October of 2019 Sally and Neil entered Queenie Tea into the parlimentary race to become the next local MP for Loughborough.
Queenie has been rather quiet since the COVID Pandemic but has been seen out and about at Art events both locally and at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
On The Verge
Mardyarts toured a number of performance pieces between 2006 - 2010. Performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe under the name of On The Verge.
Sally Boon and Neil Broughton both trained at Dartington College of Arts in the early 1990’s. Once leaving Dartington they both explored the field of Performance Art. Showing work at Glasgow’s National Review of Live Art, Hull and Nottingham. They have worked in education as drama and art/ technical theatre teachers for the last 20 to 25 years. They have written, devised and performed numerous performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe over the last 22 years. They have chosen (had no choice) to adopt Queenie Tea and invest their time, money and patience in keeping her company and providing her with a roof over her head. This is a full-time job in itself.
The Palimpsisters
- Drowning Not Waving: Tempting Failure INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF PERFORMANCE ART & NOISE ART. Croydon Spread Eagle Pub and Theatre July 2018
- Drowning Not Waving: Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Greenside@Infirmary St. Aug 9th and 10th 2018.
- Drowning Not Raving: Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Greenside@Riddles Court. Aug 8th and 9th 2022
- Drowning Not Raving: Dartington College of Arts October 2022
Working with Queenie Tea
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe – August 2011 Tea With Queenie
- Tempting Failure (TF) Bristol - April 2013 Tea With Queenie
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - August 2013 Beside The Greenside
- Little Wolf Parade – Nottingham City Centre Sept 2013 Tea With Queenie
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - August 2014 Our Fete in your Hands
- Tempting Failure (TF) Bristol - Nov 2014 Queenie Tea’s Tempting Fete
- Flaming Skirt Festival – East Midlands June 2015 Where Ya’ Bin Go
- Keyworth Show – Leicestershire July 2015 Tea With Queenie
- Tempting Failure, Latitude Festival - July 2015 Queenie’s ‘Queen’ Tribute
- Coalville by the Sea - Leicestershire Aug 2015 Tea With Queenie
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - Aug 2015 Queenie Tea’s Tempting Fete
- Summer Art Trail – LCB Depot Leicester Aug 2015 Queenie Tea’s Tempting Fete
- More Storm Festival – Middlesex University Oct 2015 Queenie’s Tea (Towel) Reading
- Proms in the Park – Coalville Leicestershire June 2016 Queenie’s Promenade
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - August 2016 – Queenie’s Pub Quiz
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - August 2017 – Queenie’s Pub Quiz
- Summer Art Trail – LCB Depot Leicester August 2017 Queenie’s Tea (Towel) Reading
- Hastings Community Fete - Loughborough May 2018 Queenie's Tempting Fete
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - August 2019 - Queenie's Pub Quiz
- Parliamentary Candidate for Loughborough - October - December 2019 (235 votes)
- Queenie's Tea Party - online 2020
- Silvervine Arts Events - Attenborough Arts Centre - Leicester Nov 2021
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe - Queenie's Bonkers Bingo - August 2022
Mardyarts and On The Verge
- Ergot by S.Boon - Edinburgh Fringe 2001 Rocket Venue
- Ee..mm the Musical devised by S.Boon and N.Broughton - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2002 Venue 45
- Ee..mm Squared the Musical by S.Boon and N.Broughton - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2003 Venue 45
- 4.48 Psychosis (The 4.48's) by Sarah Kane - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2006 Zoo Venues
- Beckett in a Buckett devised by S. Boon, N.Broughton & G. Ireland - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2007 Zoo Venues
- The Lie-in, The Itch and Whore's Robe devised by S.Boon, N.Broughton & G.Ireland - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008 Rocket Venues
- Manmade devised by S.Boon, N. Broughton, G.Ireland & L.Welsby - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2009 C venues
- Duetiquette devised by S.Boon, N.Broughton & G. Ireland - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2010 C Venues
- Duetiquette devised by S. Boon, N.Broughton & G. Ireland - Camden People's Theatre 2010
- Tea With Queenie devised by S.Boon & N.Broughton - Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011
- Beside The Greenside - event organised by S.Boon & N.Broughton Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2012
- Beside The Greenside: Bunt Fest - event organised by S.Boon & N.Broughton Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2013
Qualifications and Work Experience
Sally Boon 28/09/1971
- BA Hons Theatre Dartington College of Arts 1990 – 1994
- PGCE Drama and English Bretton Hall 1996 – 1997
- Post Grad Diploma Theatre Today DMU - Leicester 2004 – 2006
25+ years of teaching experience
- Curriculum co – ordinator, Performing Arts, City College Coventry 1997 – 2006
- Head of Drama Loughborough High School 2006 - Present
Neil Broughton 09/07/1970
- BA Hons Arts in Social Context Dartington College of Arts 1989 – 1992
20 years of Technical Theatre support and lecturing Technician & Art Lecturer
- Performing Arts City College of Coventry P/T 2003 – 2007
- Art Lecturer, Art Department, City College Coventry P/T 2006 – 2013
- Theatre Technician and teacher, Loughborough High School P/T 2014 Present
- Art Teacher - Loughborough High School 2022 - 2023
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