Miguel Hernando Torres Umba
(Mee-gell Her-nan-doh Tor-rez Uum-buh) He/him
Performer
Miguel Hernando Torres Umba is a highly skilled physical performer and theatre practitioner originally from Colombia. He trained in Acting at the Superior Academy of Arts in Bogota, specialising in Corporeal Mime at the International School of Corporeal Mime in London. Miguel is recognised for his work with Gecko Theatre, having joined in October 2018. His credits include the "Missing" international tour, "The Wedding" UK tour, and feature film "Institute” by Gecko/BBC. Miguel is one of the devising performers of "KIN," Gecko's co-production with the National Theatre. As a Gecko practitioner, he teaches the company’s style to professionals and students nationally and internationally, and directs some of the company's creative engagement projects.
Miguel’s one-man show, Stardust, which explores the human cost of the global cocaine industry on Latin American communities, received critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at the Vault Festival.
In addition to performing, Miguel is is also a creative director known for his exceptional talent in crafting immersive theatre. Miguel led the creative vision for Rematch Live’s production 'Rumble in the Jungle.' He spent over twelve years at Secret Cinema, initially as a performer and later as a creative director instrumental to successful productions like 'Moulin Rouge,' 'Back to the Future,' and 'Star Wars.' He also collaborated with other leading immersive theatre companies, including Immersive Cult and Les Enfants Terribles.
Miguel’s personal creative practice is founded on inclusivity, playfulness, and a celebration of the joy of discovery, encouraging collaborators to have a voice and explore openly. He is passionate about work that has a lasting impact on communities, and speaks of human and socio-political issues. This can be seen through the work of his production company, Umba Arts, which has produced a dynamic range of projects from podcasts and films, to award wining docu-series and most notably LYT - Latinx Youth Theatre - a platform for young Latin Americans in London to celebrate their identity and connect with the creative industries.
TESTIMONIALS
“Using a mix of animation, movement, and monologue, the storytelling is beyond impressive.” — The Guardian — On Stardust
“The show is a knockout!” - The Times – on Rumble in the Jungle
“not only a fun community experience, but a big step up in her journey towards maturity … LYT is a project the community really needed” – Cohort Evaluation for LYT