I’ve written an episode of EastEnders and it airs at 8.35pm on Wednesday 16 June 2021. Due to the Euros you can also watch on BBC iPlayer from 14 June. I’m very excited about working on the show and grateful to development producer Kieran Grimes and script editor Sophie Peters for supporting me on my first episode.
Filming between lockdowns one and two, I played Gloria in Veneer. Written by and starring Jean St Clair, directed by Louis Neethling of Mutt & Jeff Pictures, Veneer premiered on Film 4 on 5 April. You can watch it online at BSL Zone here
EDIT 18 MARCH 2021: CASUALTY WON THIS AWARD! 🙂
Two episodes of BBC’s Casualty I worked on have been nominated for an RTS award. One episode, includes a storyline I pitched about a wrestler, written by Rachel Aird, directed by Alex Jacob and produced by Rebecca Hedderly.
The other episode included in the nomination, I co wrote with Charlie Swinbourne (directed by John Maidens and produced by Dafydd Llewelyn). Congratulations to everyone on Casualty!
The film of Augmented is streaming at a festival at Southbank Centre 13-15 January 2021. Tickets are FREE. There is a watch party on the first night with a live accessible Q&A with myself director, Rachel Bagshaw.
Check out the rest of the festival for more exciting and accessible work. Thanks for supporting Augmented!
Directed by Rachel Bagshaw,
Co-Design by Laura Hopkins & Khadija Raza ;
Lighting Design by Joshua Pharo ;
Sound Design & Composer: Adrienne Quartly,
Movement Director: Rachel Drazek ;
Assistant Director: Esther Dix ,
Dramaturg: Sarah Dickson,
Audio Description: Michael Achtman,
BSL Creative Consultant with SSE focus: Jean st Clair,
Produced in association with Told By An Idiot,
Manchester Royal Exchange,
Manchester UK ;
6 March 2020 ;
Credit & Copyright: Helen Murray
#acesupported
Photo by Helen Murray
Delighted to announce that the film of my solo show, Augmented, streams at Dumfries and Galloway Festival on 8th October (available between 5 and 9pm). Save the date and click here to get the viewing link.
AUGMENTED written and performed by Sophie Woolley
Directed by Rachel Bagshaw
Co-Design by Laura Hopkins & Khadija Raza
Lighting Design by Joshua Pharo
Sound Design & Composer: Adrienne Quartly
Movement Director: Rachel Drazek
Assistant Director: Esther Dix
Dramaturg: Sarah Dickson
Audio Description: Michael Achtman
BSL Consultant with SSE focus: Jean st Clair
Produced in association with Told By An Idiot .
The tour of my solo show, Augmented stopped halfway through in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Toby Bennett filmed what turned out to be the final performance at Salisbury Playhouse. Gateshead International Festival of Theatre (GIFT) streamed the film of Augmented on Saturday 2nd May. The Festival was wonderful, connecting people around the world and filling us artists and creatives with hope. The audience response online to the streaming of Augmented was wonderful, with people posting photos of scenes and lines as they watched. Augmented got a five star review from A Younger Theatre reviewer, and the Guardian review called the the show a “fascinating insight into communication and expectation, and makes you pay more attention to the noises of the everyday.”
A Younger Theatre reviewer wrote: “Woolley’s performance is emotionally intense but truthful. She shares a deep connection with her audience in the small space and forces them to confront their own prejudices against those who navigate the world differently.”
The streamed show had captions available and audio description at the click of a button and many audience members were glad they could watch from home – because not everyone has the energy or reseources to go to festivals. Is this the future for the performing arts?
“This production is clever. The simple but effective set from Laura Hopkins and Khadja Raza features a white split backdrop, onto which are projected colours, images and the creative captions expertly printing themselves onto the screen. Woolley uses minimal props, (a chair, a book, a hat) and the split backdrop is used as a telephone, a rainpipe, a piano. Josh Pharo’s captions go way beyond practical and become, at times, beautiful. The words dance across the backdrop like a shape poem and give emphasis to Woolley’s speech. ” (A Younger Theatre)
Writer and Performer Sophie Woolley
Director Rachel Bagshaw
Assistant Director Esther Dix
Designers Laura Hopkins and Khadija Raza
Lighting and Projection Design Joshua Pharo
Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. The original R&D was funded in its development by Unlimited, celebrating the work of disabled artists, with funding from Arts Council England. Originally developed with Ovalhouse. Supported by the New Wolsey Theatre. Augmented is sponsored by Advanced Bionics.
Following the cancellation of my Augmented tour half way through, I’m proud that the film of the Salisbury Playhouse performance will be streaming online at GIFT on saturday 2nd May at 4pm, with a Q&A after. Intsead of paying for your ticket you can make a donation to GIFT. Click on the donate link on the website. Reserve your ticket to Augmented here and check out the rest of the festival. See you there!
“This year’s digital re-imagining of Gateshead International Festival of Theatre (GIFT) kicks off on Friday 1 May, through to Sunday 3 May. With a thought provoking, curated programme of contemporary theatre, dance and interactive events, this tenth edition of the festival aims to connect artists and audiences self-isolating at home, to share and inspire creativity.
Catch global artists and brilliant new works. Immerse yourself in sensory experiences, experimental works in progress and lively debates – and all from the comfort of your armchair. Book up your festival weekend now, with a packed programme of events and performances shown in real time, and join artists and audiences tuning in worldwide to encounter bold new works, share human stories and build personal networks (with a virtual cocktail party if that’s your thing) at giftfestival.co.uk. @giftfest #cultureinquarantine #stayathome
Fancy an action-packed weekend of the best theatre, dance and interactive events from the comfort of your armchair? Check out the digital edition of @giftfest which lands 1-3 May. All events and shows, and tickets for this year’s festival, on giftfestival.co.uk “
Augmented running time is 70 mins.
Writer and Performer Sophie Woolley
Director Rachel Bagshaw
Assistant Director Esther Dix
Designers Laura Hopkins and Khadija Raza
Lighting and Projection Design Joshua Pharo
I spoke to Isabel Flynn of the Guardian as part of her excellent article which also features leading theatre makers, Athena Stevens, Amit Sharma and Jenny Sealey. Read it here.
Find out more about my Augmented tour here.
Hello! It’s been a while since I posted. This post is about my launch of the Augmented crowdfunder yesterday.
I’ve created a show called Augmented, which tells all about going deaf (in adulthood) and having a cochlear implant. There was nothing in culture which reflected my experience, so I decided to make a show to share the complexity and build bridges between hearing and deaf culture.
Augmented is the inaugural show for my new company, Augmented Productions and produced by Told by an Idiot’s leading producer, Jenni Grainger. The show is in association with Told by an Idiot, a company with a history of touring innovative and provocative new work for the last 26 years.
It’s easy to find YouTube videos of deaf people being ‘switched on,’ but what happens to them after that? Do they become assimilated into ‘hearing culture’? Or are implants not that good?
Having been hearing, deaf and now ‘cyborg,’ I can see the world from three perspectives and I invite you to support my work in sharing my unique perspective.
Augmented is a moving and entertaining solo show, directed by Rachel Bagshaw (Associate Director at London’s Unicorn Theatre). It features stunning creative captions by award winning Josh Pharo, and design by award-winning set and costume designer Laura Hopkins, with an amazing sound track by Adrienne Quartly.
Arts Council England is supporting the tour and their financial contribution has allowed me to secure some brilliant tour venues all over the country, however there are areas of the budget that still require funding, including: Financial support to stretch our marketing further to ensure the show is seen by everyone, including the scientific community, professionals working with deaf people and children, deaf and disabled people.
I also want to have accessible Q&A sessions after three of the shows on tour and there are additional costs for these which are outside of the production budget. These Q&A sessions are crucial because the show provokes many questions from deaf and hearing people, and provides a platform for sharing our stories, hopes and fears about the future for deaf and hearing society.
I would really love for the show to be seen in London and a well known venue has offered me space to showcase the production in London for three dates. We need additional financial support to make this a reality.
I’ve raised the financial backing from the Arts Council and also Advanced Bionics (who have given me £1000 in sponsorship, which is awesome).
I have just £3000 to go to reach my final target of being able to achieve all I would like to achieve. If you can invest any amount, I would be hugely grateful.
The Augmented tour dates are, (London TBC):
5th/6th/7th March 2020 Manchester Royal Exchange
10th/11th March 2020 Birmingham Rep
13th/14th March 2020 Salisbury Playhouse
18th-21 March 2020 Plymouth Theatre Royal, Drum
25 March 2020 Cambridge Junction
