SOPHIE JANE AUSTIN
THEATRE & FILM DIRECTOR
“It’s all good fun and neatly staged with a hard-working cast and plenty of joie de vivre. It’s a show that brings a smile to the face as it celebrates the power of storytelling.”
THE GUARDIAN on The Hunters Grimm
About Me
I am a theatre and film director based in the UK.
I am Director at SHH Productions, a female led film production company, I’m Creative Associate at international arts organisation Dash Arts and I'm on the board for Rewrite
I was founder and Artistic Director of Teatro Vivo, a theatre company specialising in site responsive work from 2004 - 2019.
I was a founding board member and chair of the Training & Development Committee for Stage Directors UK
I also work as an outside-eye, dramaturg and mentor.
I'm a natural born storyteller who likes to work across a range of mediums and with an extraordinary bunch of collaborators. I want to tell electrifying and relevant stories and stage them in innovative, inspiring and thrilling ways to reach a wide and diverse audience.
I'm always on the look out for new collaborators so feel free to get in touch if you'd like to discuss ideas.
You can read my CV here
Latest Projects
Currently contributing to this online journal documenting these strange times.
What Would Ingrid Bergman Do
Creating a podcast episode for Dash Arts celebrating European cultural icons.
In Development.
This is an urgent new play by Beth Flintoff and inspired by leading environmentalist Jonathon Porritt’s seminal book.
The World We Made is told by Keli and Luke, two students living in 2050. It shows a glimpse of how our lives could be in the future, if we pull together and change now...before it’s too late.
This is a story of ordinary and extraordinary people from around the world who together achieve profound change.
Directed by me, designed by National Theatre associate Niall McKeever and sound design by Eleanor Isherwood, this production will be staged at festivals, in village halls, lecture halls and board rooms with the aim of igniting a sense of fierce hope in all who see it.
Created in collaboration with Becky Burchell for Change Festival 2019 and will be touring across the UK in 2020.
Access All Areas
Directing this immersive journey where the audience become the band. This will be a thrilling exploration of the wonders of creating music.
Produced by Teatro Vivo and Evelyn Productions
A devised play inspired by the stories collected by the Brothers Grimm.
This promenade production took place throughout the streets, bars and cafes of Stratford and Catford in 2019.
See what audiences thought about the show here.
And here's me talking about the show on London Live.
A new play written by Bernadette Russell and Gareth Brieley.
Created by Teatro Vivo.
A promenade tale of Deptford life over 400 years.
Listen to the Podcast version of this show here
The Band (working title)
A documentary in development about modern women working in traditional settings. How traditional cultures can empower women to live independent lives. Currently in development with Houda Echouafni, Ashtar Alkhirsan and SHH Productions.
ROAR!
How to find your voice - workshops for young women looking to build confidence and skills in public speaking.
Developed with the Southbank Centre for the Women of the World Festival
"It drastically increased my confidence and made me more aware of how my actions and words can affect other people"
Greenham Common: One Hundred Years of War & Peace
A unique and exciting, large-scale outdoor community event telling the story of Greenham Common with professional and non professional actors, singers, musicians, dancers and artists. This was an extraordinary celebration of the common and the community. Written by Beth Flintoff and produced by Rosa Productions.
"I had the most amazing time with the glider team and other people that we mixed with during the show. I loved improvising while we were building the glider, and with the audience members who entered into the 1940s with such enthusiasm. Community theatre really is something special." Community Member
#ArmingtheWorld
An interactive pop-up arms fair raising awareness of Britain's involvement in the global Arms Trade. Produced by Teatro Vivo and ice & fire
“The show was perfect. I was shocked, horrified and it has left me wanting to do something!”
Twistov
A promenade production that takes the audience on a man hunt around the streets of Shoreditch. The play explores arrival and survival, migration and identity.
Produced by Teatro Vivo and Dash Arts and written by Michael Wagg
"Twistov is an immensely powerful and important play. The message of humanity and unity, presented as it was in such a magical way, remains with you long after the show." Savage Journal
Awards
In November 2016 my short film JUST GONE won the Prix De Jury at Festival Cinéma & Migrations Agadir.
Projects as Associate Director
Old Times - by Harold Pinter, directed by Ian Rickson
Produced by Sonia Friedman
Absent Friends – by Alan Ayckbourn directed by Jeremy Herrin.
Produced by Sonia Friedman
One Thousand and One Nights – directed by Tim Supple.
Produced by Dash Arts
The Heretic - by Richard Bean
directed by Jeremy Herrin
Produced by The Royal Court
Please get in touch if you would like to find out more
In A Flash
Celebrating freedom and fearlessness, my first short film is about a girl who follows a cat and, like Alice down the rabbit hole, she discovers a strange and curious world.
Created for SHH Productions and shot in the magical city of Fez, Morocco, In A Flash represents the kind of films I like to make.
Contact
Get in touch in the following ways