The Fallen Circus was commissioned by the National Centre for Circus Arts (previously known as Circus Space) and funded by Arts Council England. In 2013 Shelly was invited to become artist in residence at the National Centre for Circus Arts the premier centre for circus arts in London. During her residency she worked with second year circus students to devise and direct a work for the screen. Shelly also collaborated with other professional actors, mime artists and physical performers who all feature within the film. The resulting work is an hour long musical style fiction called ‘The Fallen Circus’.