Gaël is a French-Brazilian actress and theatre director. Born in the Brazilian Amazon, Gaël started theatre at an early age; at the age of 14 she won the SESC Theatre Award in Brazil of Best Young Actor for her performance in 'Fábulas & Farsas'; the following year she enrolled at PUC University to study biology. While at university she continued to perform with amateur theatre companies in São Paulo. On her last year at university Gaël joined the prestigious CNRS French expedition in the historical site of Santa Elina (Mato Grosso, Brazil) as an apprentice archaeologist. The same year she was put in charge of researching the Osteodontes prehistoric giant sloth bone collection at the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of São Paulo (USP university).
However, Gaël soon decided to drop her biologist career to concentrate in theatre and literature. She moved to London and studied Performing Arts, followed by a Masters in Cultural and Critical Studies at Birkbeck University. The focus of her research was the aesthetics of the nude in contemporary society and the use of space in Grotowski's work. She then went to Poland to study with Zigmund Molik (one of Grotowski's favourite actors) at the Grotowski Centre in Wroclaw. After that, Gaël returned to her roots and began to research Brazilian theatre, music and poetry with Dr David Treece at King's college, while simultanously moonlighting as a writer with several magazines such as Caros Amigos, Brazilian Contemporary Arts, Jungledrums and Arte da Palavra. Gael also organised a series of poetry events for the Lusophone community with the support of Bloomsbury publishing, which fuelled a desire to research how to translate poetry into the theatrical realm. From this research, she directed her first piece, 'Stories of the Forgotten Land' in 2005 which was accompanied by a series of workshops for dancers and actors in London at The Place, Chisenhale Dance and in São Paulo at Espaço Rasa.
She then goes back to Brazil to study Brazilian cinema at the Academia Internacional de Cinema de Curitiba. On her return in 2006 Gaël is invited to become an associate artist at Oxford House and develops three plays during her 10 months internship. On the same year she completes the Summer School Directing programme at the Young Vic Theatre and the Young directors programme at Stonecrabs Theatre Company and is subsequently invited to become an associate director with the company. Since then Gaël has performed as an actress in various theatre productions in London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Sao Paulo as well as in several short films and forthcoming feature films. As a director, she has collaborated with Stonecrabs and Maddid Theatre Company.
Gaël currently lives in London surrounded by cds and books. Her favourite activities are watching exceptional films, writing poems and smoking Cuban cigars while delving into philosophical thought. If any spare time is left, she draws, sings out of tune and dances like a fool in the middle of the living room.
