LOUISE OLIVER (theatre + film)
Projects
Here you can find details on my portfolio of projects in theatre and film. Unless otherwise indicated, I am the writer / creator, or co-writer. This is an archive of things that have already been presented and things that are in development. If you are interested in talking to me about any of them then please feel free to get in touch.
W.I.T.C.H
Theatre
Part protest rally, part gig-theatre, part Witches Sabbath and all one wild night out in Glasgow. Written by Louise, co-created with and directed by Shilpa T. Hyland, and being produced by Stories Untold Productions.
W.I.T.C.H will go into its next phase of development with Stories Untold and Summerhall Arts in May 2024.
Previous Development | Support
Make it Happen Fund (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland)
R&D Residency (Lyth Arts Centre)
Supported Artist Programme (Pitlochry Festival Theatre)
IN THE ROOM
Short Film | Bar Italia Films
In The Room is about Cait, an actor on an important call-back audition, which then becomes a fierce roar of catharsis when her scene partner arrives; a man who assaulted her in the past. Supported by Creative Scotland and Crowdfunder UK, In The Room is a compelling and urgent short film that tackles trauma, resilience, and patriarchal power structures within the entertainment industry.
With a stellar cast of Scotland's finest screen actors - Joanne Thomson, Kate Dickie, Scarlett Mack and Henry Ashton - this project is set to make waves.
January 2024
In The Room is now in post-production with Blazing Griffin and is set to be released in Spring 2024.
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GLITCH
Short Film | View Here
When faced with a difficult decision, Nancy chose "The Chip" for herself. With next to nothing known about the side-effects, Chipped Nancy can’t figure out if she’s being haunted by the technology or what’s left of her own mind.
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Indie Short Fest L..A. Official Selection (Semi-Finalist for Best SciFi Short and Best Actress)
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Phoenix International Short Film Festival, Ontario Award Winner (Best SciFi /Fantasy Short)
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London Indie Short Film Festival Official Selection (Best UK Narrative Short)
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Lift Off Global Networks First Time Filmmaker Sessions Official Selection (Best Narrative Fiction Short).
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UK Seasonal Short Film Festival's Honourable Mention in Spring 2021 round of selections.
ROXANA
Theatre + Film Hybrid | View Here
Wife, mistress, mother, opportunist, friend. The life of Roxana and her maid Amy is as scandalous an adventure as you could find and a morality tale like no other.
Directed by Shilpa T-Hyland
Produced by Louise Oliver
Written by Laurie Motherwell
Starring Esme Bayley, Kim Allan and Belle Jones
Bringing Daniel Defoe’s 1724 novel and its surprisingly contemporary debates on marriage, wealth, sexuality and autonomy to the 21st century, this is a provocative re-telling of the journey of a woman and her maid as they grapple with the world and the choices they have to make. Originally written for the stage, this version of Roxana is a unique theatre-film hybrid experience filmed in Paisley.
Supported by Future Paisley and Creative Scotland.
Produced in partnership with the Paisley Arts Centre and the Paisley Book Festival.
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THREAD: An Original Scottish Musical
Theatre | View Here
Thread was a new Scottish musical created by Fraser Scott, Iona Ramsay and Bethany Tennick of Paisley based theatre and film production company Kick the Door and produced by Louise Oliver for OneRen Arts.
Rooted in the town of Paisley, with an original folk-pop score, Thread explores community, grief and family with an ensemble of Scottish actor-musicians. Thread was presented in co-production between
Kick the Door and OneRen at Renfrew Town Hall in May 2022. This was made possible through support from Future Paisley and Creative Scotland.
Strong performances across the board from this cast. It is a very strong marriage of song & story...Definitely a show worth developing. Listening to the audience on leaving, this rather sums things up: “It’s no’ on long though.” “It’ll be back.” “For sure.” 4 Stars, Musical Theatre Review (read full review here)
The Rising
Dystopian Drama for TV / Streaming
Eight hundred years after a global catastrophe, scientist Grace
must unearth forgotten technology and fight multiple forces,
including her own daughter, to keep her utopian Scottish
community alive.
Co-created / Written by Zoë A M Bullock & Louise Oliver
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Theatre + Live Art
Associate Producer + Artist (Jan 2017 - March 2020)
Civil Disobedience is an Edinburgh based production house bringing the finest talent from around the world to global stages, arts festivals, and events. We collaborate with artists on helping them achieve their goals with their existing portfolio of work as well as creating new work in-house.
Projects Completed
Three Edinburgh Festival Fringe seasons of over 30 shows and a successful New York transfer in January 2017.
Award-winning queer immersive cabaret-theatre show, Jock Tamson's Bairns (Creative Scotland / Edinburgh Fringe / Assembly Roxy)
Kelpie
Feature Film | Horror
In an endeavour to heal from the grief of losing her troubled mother, Anna joins an all female wild swimming group. She encounters something in the water that changes her forever.
Developed as part of the Edinburgh International Film Festival's Script Starter programme.
The Maids
Short Film | Comedy-Action
Hot Fuzz meets Oceans 8 set in a community hall in Glasgow. A Scottish, feminist, action-packed, comedy short.
Developed by Short Circuit / Convergence (BFI & Screen Scotland)
Out of the Woods
Feature Film | Comedy-Drama
Two siblings reconnect after the death of their father. His posthumous wishes take them on a trip to the decaying Scottish seaside town of their youth. Out of the Woods is a touching and quirky exploration of being the collateral damage of broken parents. It’s “Little Miss Sunshine” meets “Withnail and I”.
Developed by Short Circuit / Convergence (BFI & Screen Scotland)
Semi-finalist in the 2020 Screencraft Virtual Pitch Competition
Top 23% of discoverable projects on Coverfly
Across the Pond
Comedy-Drama for TV / Streaming
A Scottish girl and a closeted New York guy intersect at a for-profit acting school. As reality interrupts fantasy, they meet their insecurities head on and become a chosen family in the process.
70% inspired by true events and 30% creative license. Across the Pond is based on the real lives of the writers - Louise Oliver (Scotland) and Michael Finnigan (New York) - who ran away from the trauma of their old lives to start again in New York. It’s the story of when they met and fell in platonic love at a for-profit acting school in Manhattan. It’s the story of what happened next. Of chasing dreams and exorcising demons
DRUMHEAD
10 - 15 May 2010 at the Tron Theatre / Mayfesto Season.
How far is too far? In regard to the treatment and interrogation of suspected terrorists or criminals, is torture ever justified? Are these the actions of a society that is supposed to value human rights and fair treatment?
Drumhead was a site-specific theatre experience, part live presentation and part investigation: a social and political commentary on humanity’s relationship with itself. With particular focus on the ramifications of legalised torture methods, experimental performance workshops led the cast’s creative process as well as providing them with a real understanding of both the authority and victim.
The audience was removed from their comfort zone and presented with a piece of interactive theatre. Reports, real case studies and events informed the actors presentation of this challenging and controversial subject. A portion of Drumhead’s profit went to Amnesty International.
First presented in May 2010 in collaboration with the Tron Theatre as part of Mayfesto, their political theatre festival.
"Perhaps unsurprisingly, two of Mayfesto’s strongest productions have shown close links to Live Art : Cora Bisset’s monologue and RWP’s Drumhead both escape the traditional script and deliver a more dynamic presentation". - * * * * The Skinny
Waiting for Groucho
Presented at the 2007 Edinburgh Fringe followed by a sold-out run at Glasgow's Tron Theatre.
A journey from vaudeville to Hollywood stardom and, eventually, comedy legend.
"Waiting for Groucho" is an imagined conversation in which the Marx Brothers reminisce on their journey from two-bit vaudeville performers to Hollywood legends. A merry melange of mirth & mayhem.
In 1959 Groucho, Harpo & Chico Marx reunited to film the sitcom, "The Deputy Seraph". Two years later Chico died ending the 56 year reign of the Marx brothers as the most successful and well-loved entertainers of the 20th Century.
In 1961 Chico was the first of the Marx Brothers to die, bringing an end to a 56 year long career as the most famous comedy act in Hollywood.An abandoned sitcom, "The Deputy Seraph", was the final project that they would work on together but it would not be the last time they met.
It’s about the life of the Marx brothers told from the point of view of the less famous brothers, Chico and Harpo, while they wait for Groucho to arrive for their last gig. As they’re waiting, they reminisce about their time from vaudeville to Hollywood and everything in between.
"An affectionate and intelligent tribute to The Marx Brothers, Waiting For Groucho is played with panache and the kind of madcap style the brothers became famous for". - The Scotsman
Man in a Bath
Glasgay! Festival 2008 Special Commission
What's just below the surface of things? Random thoughts about laundry, train-times and left over Chinese? Stinging thoughts about missed calls, missed opportunities and where to go from here? What about skin, hair, muscle and bone followed by lavender scented bubble bath and those annoying bits of pot-pourri left over from the always disappointing and inappropriately named bath bombs.
Get in the bath and strip it all away; the dirt in your head followed by the skin, muscle and bone. Strip it all away and cleanse your body and soul, submerge and re-surface - fresh, clean, enlightened. Submerge and find out what is just below the surface of things.
One man's inner monolgue as he relaxes in the bath before hitting the town.
Created in collaoboration with Glasgow based actor, Alan McPartlan.
A Work in Progress
First presented at the Tron Theatre before heading to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2005.
"A Work in Progress" was my first play. Originating as final year project for my Theatre Studies degree from the University of Glasgow, I fleshed the piece out to a fully formed theatrical comedy in the style of The Reduced Shakespeare Company. Condensing 3000 years of theatrical history into one hour, this irreverant and fast paced comedy was a tongue in cheek and loving send up of all things theatrical.
A great concept ... laden with pop references and approached in a fun and modern way ... well acted and personable ... flamboyant, diverting and frequently chaotic. - Three Weeks Magazine
A Work in Progress was listed in The Sunday Times as Critics Choice.