Cast

BRIANNE SURGEONER (Gunilla)

Brianne is a 21 year old Scottish actress, model and tiktoker born missing both hands. She started her performance journey in her early teens by studying at the UK Theatre School Performing Arts Academy, however her disability proved to be a hurdle when applying to further education in the field.

Despite that, Brianne’s determination and passion for the arts led her to sign with her agent by the age of 18 and has since has been cast in multiple roles for screen, most notably the BBC documentary ‘Talent’: A heartwarming tale of four hopeful film and TV extras and their ever-faithful agent as they vie for a piece of the action in Scotland’s burgeoning entertainment industry.

She has also been a member of Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre Young Company since 2019, performing for them and other companies across the UK and Europe in shows such as Adrift, Hairspray, Mary Queen of Scots got her head Chopped Off and The Pantheon Rome Performance to name but a few.

We are delighted to welcome her to the cast, and look forward to her portrayal of the battle crazy Gunilla.

Cameron Carlson (Einar/Leif)

Cameron graduated from East 15’s Acting & Stage Combat course in 2020. With his passion for fights on stage and screen, he went on to co-found ‘Wandering Knight’: A performance combat training company which travels all around Britain, and of which he is also a lead instructor.

One of Cameron’s recent credits is voicing the Regalla Clan in Sony’s Horizon: Forbidden West video game, as well as motion capture for a similarly natured project yet to be disclosed. He has also appeared as the title role in a production of Doctor Faustus directed by Simon Wegrzyn, and Aladdin in Eva Long’s production of the classic pantomime. This will be Cameron’s first performance at the Fringe and he is excited to be joining an amazing cast!

Cameron has also been with Blodlina since very early on in its development, having participated in the first read through of the script at the beginning of 2021. We are proud to have him on board, and look forward to his performance as Einar and Leif.

Halldora Thoell (Mother Frigga/Freja/Priestess)

Halldora Thoell is an Icelandic actor, singer and Viking. She trained at Rose Bruford College and spent an exchange semester at Columbia College Chicago. Halldora has travelled widely around the world and loves nothing more than meeting people and sharing stories. She is now based in Reykjavík and London. Halldora has experience on stage, TV and film, children’s theatre, street theatre and musical theatre. She is known for her work in the Netflix film The Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and in the Icelandic Thriller TV show Black Port.

Halldora’s work is very influenced by musicality, feminism and giving voice to stories that deserve to be heard. Along with being an actor, she is working on an MA in Gender Studies to connect theory and art and further exploration of gender and society.

Kathryn Taylor-Gears (Ingrid)

Kathryn trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. She has always had a love for Musical Theatre and discovered Stage Combat whilst in study, now a regular part of her training. She is also a highly skilled musician, playing various instruments to high levels in varying styles.

Since graduating, Kathryn has been involved in a number of productions, spanning screen and stage, the most recent being a tour with I Love You Mum, I Promise I Won’t Die and filming a short currently on the festivals circuit with Yellow Pill Films.

India Shaw-Smith (Magnhild)

India trained on the BA course at LAMDA, where she won the Phillipson Sword Award for Outstanding Technique in stage combat. India’s recent theatre credits include Robin in Eddie and the Slumber Sisters with The National Theatre of Scotland, Wendla in Spring Awakening and Michal in The Pillowman by Untold Wants Theatre Inc.

For the past three years India has been working in Canada, most recently filming the lead role in the upcoming feature film The Pines Still Whisper, due for release in 2023.

Ed Tunningley (King Ove & Jarl Omund)

Ed trained in Musical Theatre at the Guildford School of Acting and has had a passion for all things Viking and combat as long as he can remember!

His credits include:

Starcrossed (Wilton’s Music Hall, 2022), Choir of Man (US National Tour, 2022), Choir of Man (Arts Theatre London, 2021), Twelfth Night (UK Regional Tour, 2021), Choir Of Man (Adelaide Fringe Festival, 2021), Choir of Man (Norwegian Cruise Lines, 2020), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat (UK Tour, 2019)

He was also the movement director for Jupiter Theatre on As You Like It (Workshop GSA, 2021), Twelfth Night (UK Tour, 2021) and Cymbeline (Bellairs Studio, 2019).