Theatre, Telly, Radio & Writing
biog
Sophie Woolley is a writer and actress from London. She writes plays for radio and stage, comic monolgues and short stories. She is currently working with Gemma Fairlie on a very exciting Theatre Sandbox commission.
In 2009 Sophie starred as Gabriella in CAST OFFS a Channel 4 drama series by Jack Thorne, Alex Bulmer and Tony Roche.
Her latest BBC Radio 4 play, CARBON CLEANSING aired in January 2010 and her short story 'Elusive Arthur' was published in the Tell Tales IV anthology.
Sophie's stage play, Fight Face, had a three week run at the Lyric Hammersmith in autumn 2008 and played at Decibel Festival 2009. The second collaboration between Sophie and director Gemma Fairlie, Fight Face is a fast paced comedy about a fight in a kebab shop.
A Tin Bath production, the show was acclaimed for it's innovative captions for deaf audiences.
Sophie's first satirical one person play, When to Run premiered at Edinburgh Festival in 2006 and toured the UK until June 2008, with sell out runs at the South bank, Soho Theatre and Manchester's Royal Exchange. Sophie's adaptation of the play was broadcast on Radio 4's afternoon play slot in 2008.
Irvine Welsh called the When to Run "a stunning, electrifying show full of imagination and verve", and her work has been compared to Chris Morris' trend-destroying series Nathan Barley and cult TV show Nighty Night.
View clips from Sophie's stage plays you YouTube
Sophie has appeared on Channel 4's The Art Show and Shoreditch Tw*t Comedy Lab pilot and is a regular performer on Radio 3. Her short stories and satires have been published in Sleaze Nation (including the D.J. Bird Diaries about an evil DJ groupie), Shoreditch Twat, The Idler, Marmalade magazine Matter, and the Dreams that Money Can Buy and Picador New Writing anthologies. Sophie was an attached writer at Soho Theatre in 2005-2006 where her short plays Game Shop Fag Kiss and Tell Your Dad I Want my Pants Back were showcased.
Agent: Michael Ford at Debi Allen Associates
Interview BroadcastNow
Channel 4 interview (with subtitles)
Cast Offs questionnaire
Sophie in black photo: Manuel Vason Sophie in blue dress photo: Jamie Baker
(Image blue dress: Jamie Baker. Top image in black: Manuel Vason)
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curriculum vitae
Theatre
September 2009 'Fight Face' @ Decibel Performing Arts Showcase, Manchester, performing with Nick Khan, dir. Gemma Fairlie
16 September-4 October 2008 - Fight Face at Lyric Hammersmith, written and performed by Sophie Woolley, also starring David Rubin. Directed by Gemma Fairlie
19-21 June/16 September-4 October 2008 Fight Face work in progress a two hander Hammersmith Lyric
August 2006 - 2008 When to Run - one person play. Toured UK with sell out shows at Soho Theatre, South Bank Centre and Manchester Royal Exchange
August 2007 Monologues 'I Heart Shoreditch' and 'Really Bad Secret' performed by actors at BIRDS, Hen & Chickens Theatre -
a cabaret of womens' performance & writing directed by Hannah Berrigan-Taplin
2006 Tell Your Dad I Want my Pants Back, monologue performed at Soho theatre by Daniela Nardini
May 2005-May 2006 - Attached writer on Soho Theatre Writers Attachment Programme
July 2005 - My short play Game Shop Fag Kiss was performed by Mark Monero and Nicola Stephenson at Soho Theatre. It is published in Arts tri-quartely journal Arete.
June 2005 - Sightseeing. Collaboration with Dipo Agboluaje on a piece of theatre for the event on the London Eye, Flight 5065
TV and Film
2009 - 'Gabriella' in CAST OFFS, a six part comedy drama series by Jack Thorne, Tony Roche, Alex Bulmer CHANNEL 4. Dir Miranda Bowen, Amanda Boyle (Eleven Films)
2002 – Wrote and acted two character monologues for The Art Show for Channel 4, directed by Phil Hayes 2002.
2002 – Acted comic role in Talkback Productions Shoreditch Tw*t comedy pilot, which was nominated for a Golden Rose Channel 4, 2002.
2002 – Wrote and performed character monologues in short film made for Sony PS2 Zool project.
2002 - Acted role of Hope in short British Sign Language film Hope, written and directed by William L Mager. Hope was made for NDCS Millennium Awards, premiered 2002 at Metro Cinema, Rupert St.
2001 – Acted comic role in Pulse short film shown on Vee-Tv on Channel 4.
Radio
2010 CARBON CLEANSING Radio 4 afternoon play. Comedy -written by Sophie Woolley,
Tabitha ...... Doon Mackichan
Will ...... Joseph Kloska
Samantha ...... Gemma Saunders
Mary ...... Tessa Nicholson
Reporter ...... John Biggins
Directed by David Hunter.
2009 'Poodle Mood' wrote and performed specially commissioned monologue on Radio 3 The Verb 25 Oct.
2008 - When to Run BBC Radio 4 afternoon play, adapted from the stage play by Sophie Woolley
Julia ...... Katy Cavanagh
Shelley ...... Sophie Woolley
Emma ...... Tracy Wiles
Celia ...... Liza Sadovy
Producer & Director...... David Hunter
2007- Radio 4 Front Row Wrote and performed satirical column in character as Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter
2007 - Radio 1 Rob da Bank show - monologues
2007 - Sparks radio short on Radio 3 The Verb
2007 - Radio 3 The Verb - character monologues
2006 - Exerpts from When to Run on two editions of BBC Radio 3's The Verb programme
2005- Wrote and acted in a play broadcast live on Resonance 104.4fm
2005 – Monologue on BBC Radio 3's The Verb programme
2005 – Monologue on BBC Radio 4’s Bespoken Word programme.
2004 – Monologue for BBC Radio 3 The Verb programme
2004 – Monologue recorded live for Facing Leicester Square, a specially commissioned show for BBC Radio 3 drama.
2002 – Monologue for BBC Radio 3 The Verb.
1999 – Performed monologue live on London Live.
1998 - Took part in the BBC/Arts Council Write out Loud scheme and made a five minute programme called ‘My Life is Now’ and a spoof documentary half hour drama pilot for Radio 4 called ‘Alcopopdocaholic’.
Published writing
2009 Tell Tales Volume IV The Global Village, edited by Monique Roffey and Courttia Newland, short story 'Elusive Arthur' by Sophie Woolley
2005 Game Shop Fag Kiss, ten minute play written on attachment at Soho Theatre and published in the arts tri-quartely journal Arete.
2005 ‘Triffic Gets Wet’, short story in Dreams that Money Can Buy anthology
2004 Epic Slinky translated into Slovene for Slovenian anthology of English writing Zacetek Necesa Velikega, including work by Zadie Smith, Ali Smith and Toby Litt, published by Beletrina.
2004 ‘Sniff’ short story about a seven year old girl in North West London in Matter anthology. Edited by Em Brett, Lily Dunn and Leigh Money.
2003 ‘Epic Slinky’, short story in New Writing 12 anthology, edited by Diran Adebayo, Jane Rogers and Blake Morrison.
2003 Various writings for Marmalade magazine.
2002 ‘Freedom’ short story commissioned by Victoria Miro Gallery for a collection connected to Chris Offili’s Freedon exhibition
2001 ‘Alpha Male’ and ‘I Heart Shoredtich’ in renaissance one Modern Love anthology
2000-2002 various writings for Shoreditch Twat zine
2000 Short story in The Idler 'Hell' issue
1997-1998 ‘D.J Bird Diary’, Sleaze Nation magazine
1997 short story in Allnighter anthology (Pulp Faction)
Live Performance
I write and perform comic character sketches and satirical monologues in a range of different voices and accents. Since 1997 I have performed extensively in theatres, art galleries, festivals and nightclubs. Performances include:
August 2008 Standon Calling festival, Hertfordshire
July 2008
July 2008 Book Slam, 93 Feet East,
June 2008 Fight Face work in progress performances at Hammersmith Lyric,
April 2008 When to Run at Wales Millennium Centre and Royal Exchange Manchester
February 2008 When to Run at Norden Farm Arts Centre Maidenhead
December 2007 Apples & Snakes anniversary party @ Cargo, London
November 2007 Aldeburgh Poetry Festival 40 minute performance of selected monologues
19 September 2007 Croydon Clocktower – When to Run
12-15 September 2007 - When to Run @ Soho Theatre London
September 2007 - Slappers Club @ Theatre Arts Club, Soho
September 2007 - Slappers Club @ Bourne & Hollingsworth, Soho, London
August 2007 - Regents Park Open Air Theatre (studio) London
August 2007 - Port Eliot festival in Association with ICA, Cornwall
July 2007 - LondonLiming The Rich Mix Bethnal Green
July 2007 - Latitude Festival Suffolk
July 2007- Royal Festival Hall Purcell Room (two nights) - When to Run
May 2007 - Strumming Monkey, Bush Hall, London
May 2007 - Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, - When to Run
May 2007 - Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury - When to Run
March 2007 - La Langoustine est Morte, Poetry Cafe
March 2007 - Birmingham Rep - When to Run
February 2007 - Lewes When to Run
January 2007 - Curzon Soho Halloween Film Festival
December 2006 - When to Run, Royal Festival Hall Purcell Room London
December 2006 - When to Run Canal Cafe London
October 2006 - When to Run tour, Ilkley Literature Festival
September 2006 - When to Run tour: Lit Up in Kendal, Uppingham Theatre, York City Screen
August 2006 - Ediburgh Fringe Festival - When to Run (24 day run)
March 2006 - The B Club, GE Club, GE Hotel, London
January 2006 - Burns Night @ Railway Tavern, London
December 2005 - London Liming, GE Hotel, London
November 2005 - Dadafest Comedy Night, Liverpool
November 2005 - The Birthday Party, Spread the Word, London
October 2005 - Book Slam @ Cheltenham Literature Festival
August 2005 - Performance at Festival, Stockholm
July 2005 – Eton Summer School
June 2005 – Aquarium Gallery,
June 2005 – Inside Out (Spread the Word),
March 2005 – Sampled Shorts Soho Theatre, London
March 2005 – British Council Russia tour, performances in Moscow, Sochi and Rostov
March 2005 - Totleigh Barton Arvon Foundation
2004 – Lilian Bayliss Theatre, Sadlers Wells, London, Lost for Words show
2004 – Cherry Jam, London
2004 – Refugee Council event, London
2004 - Caribbean Can, London
2004 - British Council, Ljubjana, launch of Zacetek Necesca Velikega anthology, Slovenia
2004 – Arvon Centre, Devon
2004 – Barbican Kin with Renaissanceone (3 nights), London
Winter 2002/2003 Touring in Greece and Germany with Modern Love, a UK spoken word tour on love and modern relationships which was long-listed for an EMMA 2002 award for best Theatre/Play.
2003 – Parkus, Copenhagen, Denmark
2003 – Uppingham School, Rutland
2003 – Lovers, Liars, Conjurors and Thieves Tour UK
2003 – Pure Poetry, Soho Theatre, London
2002 – Dadafest, Jump Ship Rat, Liverpool
2002 – Uppingham School, Rutland
2002 – Duckie, disco at Vauxhall Tavern. Live performance.
2002 – Festival of Love and Hate with Irvine Welsh at 12 Bar, London
2002 – Performed specially commissioned work at the Chris Ofili Exhibition Freedom at the Victoria Miro Gallery
2002 – The Eve Club, London. Live performance of D.J. Bird and Bus Groupie monologues.
2001 - Cream nightclub,Liverpool
2001 - Barbican, Jam Exhibition Live performance.
2001 – Evening Standard Open House, live performance of specially commissioned work at St Pancras Chambers, London.
2001 – Sonic Mook Experiment tour at ICA in London and CCA in Glasgow.
Amsterdam
2000 – Double Talk at Paradiso, Amsterdam. Live performance.
2000 – The Globe Theatre, Performed at a literature festival.
2000 – Hayward Gallery, Sonic Boom exhibition. Live performance.
2000 – Freedom Bar, London. Live performance
1999 - Royal Festival Hall, New Voices. Live performance.
1999 – Komedia, Brighton, Live performance.
1997 - Arthrob Disco Biscuits tour, Leeds and London.
May 2008 Croydon Olympiad adult creative writing workshop in conjunction with Spread the Word
July 2007 - Oak Lodge school for the deaf - drama workshop, London
July 2007 - Workshop for Shape Arts Link Up career day on managing your career as a writer, Stratford, London
May 2006 – Tutor on Sea Signs writing and storytelling project with deaf students at Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.
March 2005 – Tutored a writing and storytelling course with Ilan Dwek for a group of 12 pupils (aged 11-16) from
March 2005 – Tutor at 3 days of British Council creative writing seminars in
Sophie in black photo: Manuel Vason Sophie in blue dress photo: Jamie Baker