2023
Clore Emerging Leaders Programme
About Me
Dora Colquhoun is a Neurodivergent theatre maker, performer, songwriter, writer, facilitator, clown, mover & shaker and lover of ‘grabbing people out of the audience and getting them to do things.’ Dora studied a BA in Contemporary Performance Art at radical art school Dartington College Of Arts. This training has been the foundation of her arts practice; creating interdisciplinary, collaborative, devised work.
Dora has recently completed touring ADHD The Musical 2023. Written and performed by Dora, the show was hugely successful and toured sell-out shows across 10 venues across the UK.
This girl is absolutely fantastic!!! She is a powerhouse of energy and focus and I highly recommend this show, whether you have ADHD or not. I invited a friend who does have it and she said that it was spot on for her. It is moving and yet full of fun too and very entertaining. A ray of sunshine!
– Audience Review
Dora is incredibly versatile and has a breadth of creative experience spanning 10 years. The core of all her work is storytelling with heart, she is open to using many creative forms and has collaborated with some fantastic artist, and organisations including: Wild Rumpus, Jamie Wood (international award-winning clown) Adam Mcguigan (Wake The Beast) Tmesis, Izzie Major (Frightwig) Liverpool Biennial, Action Transport Theatre, Cocoloco, RAWD, Cbeebies, Directors: Sue Hill (Wildworks) and John Wright (As Told By An Idiot)
Training, Education, Development
2023
Liverpool Royal Court Writers Program
2022
Jamie Wood, Making Solo Work Residency
2022
Arteles ‘Back to Basics’ Residency 1 month Finland - Funded by DYCP
2022
Bryony Kimmings Making autobiographical work
2022
Surge Residency Making Solo Work – Al Seed, Hilary Westlake, Alan Richardson
2021
Artist Lock In' residency Jersey ArtHouse – Sue Hill (Wildworks)
2019
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama Applied Theatre MA
2016
Performers Playground Clown training Mark Winstanley, Alice Robinson
2014
Hope Street Emerging Artist Program
Projects
2024
Jam and Chemicals R&D
A new work in progress exploring Home. This show has been supported by ACE England and Edge Hill Arts Centre and will be going on a WIP tour in February- March 2024
2023
ADHD The Musical Tour
A 10 date sell out tour exploring the highs and lows of being diagnosed with ADHD as an Adult. Using neuroscience, original show tunes and Dolly Parton. Dora takes you by the hand and explains why it’s not a good idea to drink enough to kill a small horse the night before a job interview. This show was supported by ACE, DadaFest, and the ADHD Foundation.
2023
Escape Fort Lagoon
Wake the Beast productions Co- devised with Adam McGuigan, Jude Jagger and Izzie Major. A live action, immersive theatre game where players become prisoners and you must work together to try and escape the Lagoon. Escape from Fort Lagoon is Arts Council England funded and co-commissioned by Marketplace and Barrowfull Creative People and Places programmes.
2022
Would You Like a Seat
Commissioned by DASH ARTS and Liverpool Biennial. A performance intervention where Dora created the NBFS The National Bureau For Sitting. A playful look at access and bureaucracy in the UK. As part of WAIWAV celebrating 102nd anniversary of the first DaDa International Exhibition.
2022
Long Table Discussion
Mentored by Lois Weaver this was a series of long table discussions with the local Liverpool/Toxteth community about the cost-of-living crisis. This project was supported by Metal and Phakama Arts Community Engagement Bursary.
2021
Flowerpot Women
An outdoor immersive comedy written by Dora Colquhoun and Izzie Major . Flowerpot Women is a charming, laugh out loud, funny and poignant tale of two ill matched friends Eddie and Garland. In a homage to ‘Grey Gardens’ (Big Edie and Little Edie) and Bette and Joan’s ‘Whatever happened to Baby Jane?’ Dora Colquhoun and Izzie Major have perfectly captured in this 30 minute performance the key hallmarks of female friendships: companionship, laughter, tears, and the acceptance of eccentricity, ultimately love. Supported by Without Walls and Liverpool Culture Fund