Chris Menes is an electronic musician and theatre sound designer based in Bristol. He is a member of The Association of Sound Designers.
Chris’s passion is for creative and inspiring theatre sound design. He works closely within the devising process to explore the possibilities of sound to enhance performance and help drive narrative. His focus is on generating original sound and recordings as well as bringing a sense of play and experimentation to the rehearsal room.
He has worked closely with Soap Soup Theatre and Lady Strong’s Bonfire, creating sound and music for many of their shows.
As an electronic improviser he performs using a modular synthesizer, both solo as Chrx and with electronic improv duo Sat Nav who released their first record the ‘Multch EP’ in April 2017.
He also enjoys experimenting with simple electronics to build unique DIY instruments which can be recorded or used in live performance.
Theatre work has included:
Sound design for New Model Theatre’s ‘Happiness Ltd’ which opened at The Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter for a two week run in October 2017 and will go on to tour several UK venues in 2017.
Sound design for Soap Soup Theatre’s family show, ‘The Pixies’ Scarf’, which opened at The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol for a week run over Easter 2017 and had an Arts Council funded tour during 2017.
Building electronic sound effect machines for Fine Chisel’s ‘Beneath the Blizzard’ which opened Christmas 2016 at The Exeter Bike Shed before moving to The Tropicana, Weston-super-Mare and The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath.
Sound design for Theatre West’s ‘The Orator’ written by Marietta Kirkbride and directed by Chloe Masterton which had a two week run at The Acta Centre, Bristol in September 2016.
Working alongside Timothy X Atack (Sleepdogs) to assist in delivering the sound design for Lucy Cassidy’s ‘Can You See Me?’ at The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath. September 2016.
Sound design for Lady Strong’s Bonfire’s ‘The Bed’ which debuted with a three night run at The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol in May 2016, as well as performing live sound onstage for two scratch performances of the show at Prototype, The Tobacco Factory, Bristol and Practice, The Edge, Bath.
Sound design for the R&D phase of Liz Hart’s ‘Mummy Monster’ (Produced by Lady Strong’s Bonfire).
Sound design for Soap Soup Theatre’s ‘The Environs’. A walk about festival show which has been performed at Shambala and Boom Town Fair.
Operating sound and lights in over 40 venues for the national tours of Soap Soup Theatre’s ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’s Treasury of Nonsense’ and ‘The Snow Baby’.
Operating Tessa Bide’s Christmas 2015 show ‘The Melody Makers’ for its runs at The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol and The Marine, Lyme Regis.
Background:
Chris is currently studying for a Masters in Creative Sound and Media Technology at Bath-Spa University.
In 2015 he completed the Sound Design For Theatre summer school at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
Between 2006 & 2010 he was a founding member of Collective-Era, a visual arts collective based first in Oxford then in Brighton.
He graduated in BA Fine Art at Oxford Brookes University in 2005.