ELON MASK'S LABORATORY
I’m Phil, a mask‑maker, musician, and solo theatre performer based in East Kent. Over the past few years I’ve developed a distinctive style of performance that blends hyper‑realistic handmade masks, live music, dark humour, and surreal storytelling. Each mask is crafted using my own techniques with foam clay, acrylics, and clear eye‑baubles that allow the performer to maintain real eye contact while appearing entirely otherworldly. My shows weave together a cast of uncanny characters — from East Anglian storytellers and Balkan sax‑playing showmen to alien pipers, pirates, jesters, and poets — each brought to life through music, movement, and voice. I’ve performed intimate woodland shows, created both adult and children’s versions of my work, and continue to explore how masks, myth, and modern identity collide on stage. I’m currently developing a touring package for theatres, schools, festivals, and rural venues across the South East.
ABOUT ME!
This short film captures the process behind my handmade theatrical masks, built from lightweight foam clay, cardboard armatures, acrylic paint and natural wool fibres. Each mask begins as a sculpted clay form, gradually refined with texture and detail before being painted in layered washes to create lifelike skin tones and depth. The beards and brows are needle‑felted from wool, giving every character its own expressive texture. The final touch is my signature eye technique, using clear acrylic baubles painted from within so the performer can see out while the mask maintains its unblinking stare. This video offers a glimpse into the craft, patience and imagination that bring each character to life on stage
This three‑minute taster plunges you into the strange, playful and uncanny world of Phil’s mask theatre. Meet Henry Fuller, the woolly‑eyed East Anglian storyteller; Spike the sharp‑tongued jester with his puppet twin; the Papylonian Babooshkee, a sax‑playing showman from a mythical land; Peter Todd, the demonic poet with his hypnotic stream‑of‑consciousness verse; the mysterious snake‑eyed piper who moves like a creature from another realm; and Jay Peg the melodian‑playing pirate. Intercut with close‑ups of the handmade masks and their unblinking stares, this reel offers a glimpse of the music, humour and surreal characters that shape Phil’s live performances.
The Papylonian Babooshkee is a travelling gypsy minstrel from the mythic land of Papylonia, proud ambassador of the wandering Babooshkee tribe. With his bowler hat, fierce moustache and wide‑eyed intensity, he bursts onto the stage playing a whirlwind of exotic, Balkan‑inspired melodies on the tenor saxophone. His broken, cryptic English — full of misplaced idioms, cultural mix‑ups and earnest enthusiasm — creates a warm, comedic charm as he introduces the music and traditions of his homeland. Part showman, part storyteller, part musical firecracker, the Babooshkee brings a rousing, high‑energy finale to the show, inviting the audience into the joyful chaos of Papylonian celebration
This short film is part of an ongoing collaboration with local filmmaker Martin Goodsmith, exploring my masked characters in atmospheric, on‑location settings. The piece features several masks from an earlier generation of my work, captured in a more cinematic style that reveals their textures, presence and strangeness in the landscape. This project marks the beginning of a wider series we’ll be developing throughout the summer, bringing the new generation of masks — including the Papylonian Babooshkee, the snake‑eyed Piper, Spike the Riddler and others — into similarly filmic environments as we continue to expand this visual world.
NORTHEN RAVER
A nostalgic Mancunian relic of the mid‑90s rave scene, forever convinced that Jungle, House and Hardcore were the height of moral purity. He speaks with righteous certainty about “wholesome nights out,” conveniently forgetting the chaos, risk and chemical fog that actually defined them. His beat‑boxed recreations of classic tunes collide with rambling tales of a past he remembers through rose‑tinted glasses and selective amnesia. A comic character built on contradiction — part wise elder, part ageing raver, all heart.
Johnny Sugars
A prog‑rock relic forever convinced he was a misunderstood genius, Johnny Sugars clings tightly to the belief that his musical “failures” were caused by audiences who simply weren’t intelligent enough to appreciate his 40‑minute odysseys. He boasts of triumphant gigs played to baffled handfuls across Europe, remembering them through rose‑tinted spectacles that crack the moment he speaks. His rambling tales reveal a man trapped between artistic delusion and the painfully obvious truth of his dead‑end career. A comic portrait of the musician who never quite made it — and still can’t imagine why.
RUPERT PERVis
An impeccably dressed, silver‑bearded gentleman who radiates old‑world charm and impeccable manners — at least at first glance. Rupert’s polished politeness and aristocratic poise quickly unravel into a whirlwind of inappropriate enthusiasm, delivered with the same courteous tone one might use at a garden party. His exaggerated chivalry and misplaced gallantry create a comic portrait of a man whose refined exterior can’t quite contain his chaotic impulses. A character best enjoyed by adult audiences who appreciate humour built on contradiction, discomfort and the collapse of respectability.
professor baphomet
A cold, droid‑like emissary of shadowy global powers, Professor Baphomet delivers clinical “progress reports” on humanity with unsettling enthusiasm. Speaking in clipped, Germanic tones, he describes ordinary people through his own warped, dehumanising lens, celebrating the advance of vast industrial agendas as though they were scientific triumphs. Beneath his emotionless exterior lies a comic portrait of bureaucratic evil — a being convinced that once his mission is complete, he and his distant cosmic colleagues can finally return to their home planet. A satirical character exploring the absurdity of power, detachment and the collapse of empathy.
dr jenkins
A bumbling medical professional whose clumsy articulation and forced bedside manner make every reassurance sound like a warning. He speaks to patients with a condescending calm, delivering news of spectacular surgical mishaps as though they were minor inconveniences. His droning attempts at comfort only highlight his terrifying incompetence, creating a comic portrait of a man who is both healer and hazard. A character built on the uneasy space between trust, vulnerability and the quiet horror of realising your fate lies in the hands of someone utterly out of their depth.
punch & pooty
A red‑hatted jester with bells on his three‑pointed cap, Punch prances and pipes with unsettling cheer — never alone, always accompanied by Pooty, the tiny skeletal double he carries and conspires with. Their relationship shifts like a crooked seesaw: sometimes Punch leads, sometimes the miniature tyrant takes control, and the audience is never quite sure who holds the power. Together they sing cryptic songs, play jolly little tunes and perform strange pantomime rituals involving sausages, creating a comic world where innocence and menace dance hand in hand. A mischievous, unpredictable duo drawn from the crooked lineage of classic Punch and Judy.
adrian chrome
A slick, silver‑tongued aristocrat with a smile as polished as his shoes, Adrian Chrome drips charm and menace in equal measure. He speaks glowingly of his powerful “friends in high places,” letting slip unsettling hints about the strange rituals and shadowy habits of the upper elite. His smarmy compliments and velvet‑soft threats create a comic portrait of a man who is both flamboyant and deeply sinister — a posh raconteur who reveals far too much while pretending he’s said nothing at all. A character steeped in dark glamour, social satire and the uneasy charm of someone you should never trust.
sexy sandra
A camp, flamboyant personality whose glossy lashes and sassy charm hide a sharp satirical bite. Behind the tinted glasses, Sandra drops unsettling hints about the beauty industry’s influence over vulnerable young people. A darkly comic blend of glamour and critique.
jay pegg
A musical rogue with a grin full of mischief, Jay Pegg sails between jolly shanties and darker seas. Sometimes friendly, sometimes unhinged, he’s a pirate still discovering what depths he’ll explore.
peter todd
Peter Todd is not merely a character; he is a manifestation. A condensation of everything souring in the modern world. He wears the face of a man, but beneath it coils the Devil, the fallen patriarch, the crypto‑demon whispering through the circuitry of collapsing systems.
He represents the fall of man in slow motion — not a dramatic plunge, but the quiet, incremental surrender to greed, distraction, and digital decay. His presence is a warning written in flesh: this is what happens when we stop paying attention.
Peter revels in confusion. His spells are not grand gestures but subtle distortions — a misplaced word, a flicker in the corner of the eye, a shift in the room’s temperature. He delights in the discomfort he creates, weaving dystopian mischief with a craftsman’s patience. People find him disturbing, yet hypnotic; repulsive, yet impossible to look away from.
When he appears, the world feels slightly wrong. Colours dull. Time thickens. Logic frays. And still, he smiles — a smile that knows the ending and enjoys watching others catch up.
Peter Todd is inevitability wearing a human mask.
pan
Pan steps into this world like a question mark made of flesh. His eyes, slit like a serpent’s, hold a piercing, ancient intelligence that unsettles and delights in equal measure. His beard coils in braided ropes that seem to shift with their own quiet will, as though remembering the movements of creatures from the realm he came from.
These clips were filmed live on Saturday 8th August at a festival in Kent, where a full audience gathered to meet a small parade of odd, charming and occasionally unruly characters. First to appear was Henry Fuller with his faithful dog Fred, spinning an old tale and singing an older song, with Fred’s puppetry adding its own sly commentary. Then came Punch & Pooty, a raucous double‑act of wooden whistle tunes, cheeky intimidation and the inevitable chaos of a string of sausages. Finally, the flamboyant Papylonian Babooshkee arrived to play the music of his homeland on the saxophone and dispense confusing wisdom in his delightfully broken English — domineering, jolly, and tuneful in equal measure. Together they form a small travelling theatre of stories, puppetry, music and mischief, captured here as it unfolded before the crowd.
These images were taken during a festival performance last year in front of a large live audience. They offer a glimpse of the atmosphere, scale and energy of the work in a real performance setting. My most recent shows have taken place in venues where filming wasn’t possible, but I’m currently arranging new opportunities to capture the latest characters — including Henry Kipper, the Papylonian Babooshkee, Spike the Riddler and the snake‑eyed Piper — in front of consenting audiences over the coming months. As the project continues to grow, more up‑to‑date performance footage and photography will be added here.
Phil — Mask‑Maker, Solo Theatre Performer & Multi‑Instrumentalist
Based in Canterbury / East Kent, UK
Artist Statement
I create original solo theatre that blends hyper‑realistic mask work, live music, dark humour, and character‑driven storytelling. My performances explore the uncanny, the vulnerable, and the mythic, using masks I design and build myself. I also develop participatory workshops in mask‑making and performance, drawing on years of experience delivering creative sessions in schools, community groups, and arts organisations.
Performance Work
Solo Masked Theatre (2024–present)
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Creator and performer of a modular solo show combining original characters, live saxophone, melodian, flutes, spoken word, and poetic monologue
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Performed to audiences of ~50 at a woodland performance space, using firelight and natural settings to heighten atmosphere
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Characters developed through ongoing one‑minute monologue sketches on Instagram (10.5k+ followers)
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Themes include dystopian poetry, folklore, absurdism, and the tension between human and mask
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Currently developing an adaptable version for adult audiences, festivals, and educational settings
Previous Performance Experience
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Over 300 workshops and performances delivered through organisations including Live Music Now, Superact!, and Wildest Dreams
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Extensive experience performing in schools, community venues, outdoor spaces, and non‑traditional environments
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Background in composition, lyric writing, ensemble arrangement, and multi‑instrumental performance
Mask‑Making Practice
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Creator of 30–40 hyper‑realistic masks using foam clay, cardboard, acrylic paint, and natural wool fibre
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Developed a unique technique using clear acrylic baubles to create see‑through eyes that maintain performer eye contact while appearing as mask eyes
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Known for detailed paintwork, needle‑felted beards, and an unsettling, lifelike aesthetic
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Masks used in performance, photography, and character development
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Currently building a digital portfolio and exploring future sales, commissions, and exhibitions
Workshops & Education
(Workshops currently in development — available for discussion with venues)
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Mask‑Making Workshops: exploring design, sculpting, painting, and character creation
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Performance Workshops: character embodiment, physicality, voice, and improvisation using masks
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Experience delivering creative sessions for children, young people, adults, and SEN groups
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Flexible, responsive approach shaped by years of community arts work
Skills
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Mask‑making (advanced)
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Solo theatre performance
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Multi‑instrumentalist: saxophone, melodian, flutes, pipe
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Scriptwriting & character creation
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Video production (DaVinci Resolve, OBS)
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Workshop facilitation
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Website building (Wix, HTML/CSS)
Online Presence
Instagram: 10.5k+ followers (mask‑making, character sketches, performance development) Website: www.philholmesperformance.com
Contact
Email: p.holmes2025@outlook.com Phone: +44 7769557321 Location: Canterbury / East Kent Available for performances, workshops, festivals, and collaborations
Commercial Bookings
I offer a modular solo masked theatre performance suitable for festivals, arts centres, schools, and community events. Fees vary depending on location, duration, and additional activities.
Typical rates start from £250–£450 per performance. Day rates and workshop packages are also available.
Every venue is different — click below to discuss your event and receive a tailored quote.
