Everyone has their little claim to fame, and Steve has his. He is the only person to have ever fire-breathed off Norway’s Kjerag Bolten whilst naked – 1000m above the fjord below, and was the first person to bungee-jump off the Auckland Harbour Bridge whilst on fire.
His mum is very proud. His wife is yet to decide.
But where did all of this originate? From an early age, it was obvious that Steve had deep curiosities and an affinity with the outdoors. He got the Cub-Scout ‘Fire Awareness’ Badge in record time, and learned that when a magnifying glass and an ants nest were combined, a pungent odour would be produced. From then on, the pursuits of combining scientific discovery and fart gags were never to part.
After completing his University studies (B Sc. Geology and Earth Science) he prepared to face the working world in the quintessential Australian way of packing his bags to travel the world. It was in Scotland that he began working as a Science Communicator with the Edinburgh International Science Festival. He also became a performer within the Beltane Fire Festival – here all of his childhood dreams of pyromania became a reality.
In 2001 Steve became a full-time performer and arts administrator with the educational arts charity te POOKa – here he learned people can successfully choose a creative path in life and that with dedication, teamwork and a bit of luck – all things are possible. Years of childhood ‘dressups’ through two sisters with no pets of their own now paid off as he developed a range of costumed walkabout characters.
Steve now lives in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in tribute to his home town – Newcastle, Australia. From here he has founded his own circus, Let’s Circus, and is a director of the North East Circus Development Trust and the UK’s Circus Development Agency. He is thinking of writing a book ‘When Footloose and Fancy-Free Street Entertainers Grow Up to Become Executive Hippies’.
As a collaborator Steve works closely with many talented artists and acts. Perhaps you’d like a recommendation? Try these friends – DreamState Circus (Street Theatre and Circus), HANG Aerial Dance (Trapeze shows and workshops), te POOKa (Community Arts and Performances), Dr Bunhead’s Science Education (Explosions), Solar (Group fire shows), Joseph d’Amour Bouffon (Street Theatre clown), rob thorburn (Juggling and manipulation master classes), Orkestra del Sol (Incredibly Groovy street band).