Louise White - Theatrician

I make devised theatre with participation at its heart. Passionate about theatre without a forth-wall, I look to immerse my audiences in my work and create a sense of community. With a mix of autobiography, social and environmental messages, and repeated references to David Attenborough, I conjure up fun experiences that are all about breaking down social boundaries and inclusivity.

 

What I'm up to now...

I am an associate artist with the In Good Company artist development (Derby Theatre), and the Leicester Curve Breakthrough Artist programmes. Being a part of In Good Company has been invaluable. I’ve learnt a ridiculous amount and have been offered opportunities that have led to so many wonderful things!

 

I started 2017 year working towards my arts council grant for The Dead Sea and I’m very pleased to say that I was awarded the funding to develop it. Since then I’ve been beavering away in the rehearsal room with a great team around me. I presented works-in-progress at both Departure Lounge festival and at the Attenborough Arts Centre in July, as well as taking the show to Camden People's Theatre in November. 2018 see the start of my Preview Tour for the show, taking it across the East Midlands. For more information on tour dates please click here.

​

I am also very excited to announce my new job working with Hubbub Theatre, co-facilitating drama sessions with their adult and youth learning disabilities groups. This has quickly become the best part of my working week and I can’t put into words how much I’m learning, but am also benefitting massively as a practitioner and a person from being a part of what Hubbub are doing to improve access to the arts.

 

Training and what got me here...

I graduated from Dartington College of Arts with a degree in devised theatre. The focus of which was to create contemporary performances through democratic collaboration with peers and performance makers. Much of this work was interdisciplinary, working with fine artists, musicians, choreographers and writers as well as theatre makers. The work produced was varied, in the form of theatre shows, site-specific performances, performance art, and installation art. In my professional practice since then I have continued this approach to my work and have actively championed making work through the ethos of skill sharing through collaboration. 

 

Upon graduating I was awarded a grant from Falmouth University to develop my own theatre company. The grant support-period lasted a year, within which myself, and the others in my company, further developed our performances and arranged a regional tour of this work. We also worked closely with the Curriculum Outreach Programme at Falmouth University to deliver workshops in schools and sixth forms throughout Cornwall, focusing on team building skills and performance making through autobiographical material and collaboration. I now work on a solo basis in much the same way.

 

Since returning to the east-midlands, I have developed my professional practice by working with several Nottingham-based arts organisations, such as the Lakeside Arts Centre, the Nottingham Contemporary, New Perspectives, The Malt Cross, Notts TV, the Actors' Workshop Nottingham, The Actors Studio and the National Student Drama Festival. 

 

Work is always ongoing! There are always new shows to make, new people to teach, new places and people with whom to share my knowledge and expertise!