NIGEL POULTON
​
​Movement and Fight Director


Nigel is an award-winning, internationally renowned fight director, weapon and movement specialist, stunt performer and actor with expertise in classical, historical and adaptive swordplay, firearms, edged weapon use, kinaesthetic movement processes and combat systems. 

In theatre, opera and ballet, Nigel works as a fight director and choreographer with companies such as The Metropolitan Opera, Washington Opera, Opera Australia, New York City Ballet, The Australian Ballet, Cameron Mackintosh, Dainty Group International, Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre, Bell Shakespeare, Belvoir Theatre, La Boite, Circus Oz and Kooemba Jdarra.

Nigel’s film work includes stunt work on PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN V (Disney), DEADLINE GALIPOLLI (Full Clip Productions/Matchbox Pictures), THE WATER DIVINER (Fear of God Productions/Hopscotch Features), WINTER’S TALE (Warner Brothers Studios), THE BOURNE LEGACY (Bourne Film Productions), VIKINGDOM (KRU Studios). 

In TV, Nigel is part of the creative team at Weapons Specialists Ltd in New York and has worked on TV Series such as THE GOOD WIFE (Scott Free Productions), PERSON OF INTEREST (Kilter Films), ONE SHOT/JACK REACHER (Paramount Pictures), BOARDWALK EMPIRE (HBO), SALT (Columbia Pictures), I AM LEGEND (Warner Bros. Pictures), SOPRANOS (HBO), THE MINISTERS, (Collective), 30 ROCK (Broadway Video) and LAW AND ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (Wolf Films).

Recent theatre, opera and ballet highlights include: for Opera Australia, CAVALLIERA RUSTICANA & PAGLIACCI, KROL ROGER, LA TRAVIATA, CARMEN, TOSCA (John Bell); CARMEN (HOSH revival); for Bell Shakespeare, ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, RICHARD III, ROMEO AND JULIET, OTHELLO, HAMLET, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, THE DREAM, JULIUS CAESAR; for La Boite, PRIZEFIGHTER, RICHARD III, COSI; for Sydney Theatre Company, THE RESISTIBLE RISE OF ARTURO UI, BLACKIE BLACKIE BROWN, HARP IN THE SOUTH, ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST, THE PRESENT, SPEED THE PLOW, THE GOLDEN AGE, SWITZERLAND, CYRANO DE BERGERAC, MACBETH, NOISES OFF, ROMEO AND JULIET; for Melbourne Theatre Company, THREE LITTLE WORDS, JASPER JONES, HAMLET; for Queensland Theatre, JASPER JONES, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, SWITZERLAND, MACBETH; for Belvoir, SAMI IN PARADISE, THE SUGAR HOUSE; for Dainty Group International, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN; for Cameron Mackintosh, LES MISERABLES; for The Metropolitan Opera, DON GIOVANNI, CARMEN (Sir Richard Eyre); DON GIOVANNI (Michael Grandage), IL TROVATORE (David McVicar); for New York City Ballet, ROMEO AND JULIET.

Nigel’s fight direction, combat and choreography expertise includes: Historical European (Spanish Rapier, Italian Rapier, French Small Sword, Cavalry Sabre, German Longsword, Sword and Shield / Sword and Buckler, Rondell (Dagger)); Classical European (Italian Duelling Sabre, French Epee, French Foil); Archipelago systems (Knife, Single Stick, Double Stick, Machete, Unarmed); Theatrical (Single Sword, Cutlass, Rapier and Dagger, Rapier and Cloak, Small Sword, Eastern Staff, Japanese Sword, European Longsword, Medieval Sword and Shield); Eastern (Katana/Japanese Sword, Bo, Hanbo, Tanto (knife), Dao (Chinese Broadsword), Double Broadsword. Chinese Spear); as well as Tiajiquan, Xingyiquan, Boxing, Wrestling, Jui-Jitsu/Tai-Jitsu, Natural / Found Weapons (bottle, chair etc), Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, Krav Maga (Knife, Handgun, Stick, Unarmed). 

​Nigel is a classically trained fencer and has trained and taught extensively throughout the world in Historical European Martial Arts.  He is a practitioner of Vsevelod Meyerhold’s Theatrical Biomechanics system, having trained intensively with the system’s current custodian, Gennadi Bogdanov. Nigel is a registered Instructor, Fight Director and past President of the Society of Australian Fight Directors, is a Certified Teacher and Theatrical Firearms Instructor with the Society of American Fight Directors and has been certified with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat.

Nigel’s awards include a Green Room Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Melbourne Stage.  Nigel has received grants from the Australia Council for the Arts and Queensland Arts Council.