I’m a dramatist – a commissioned playwright, performer and theatre maker. I trained in Theatre Acting: Devised Performance at Bretton Hall. Here are some recent theatre examples including: photo galleries of both behind-the-scenes rehearsals and show images taken by myself, Mark Savage, Von Fox Productions and Matt Jamie; show details; and reviews.
P.S I love theatre SO MUCH, I’ve even written a children’s novel for Puffin about. You can find out all about Lights Up and order it by clicking on this very sentence!
Night Classes – Unfolding Theatre – Co-writer
Premiere Arc Stockton 20th-21st March 2024 before touring
A BSL interpreted and relaxed performance, with breakout space available.
Featuring one deaf performer and two hearing performers, Night Classes is performed in a mixture of BSL and spoken word. All content is interpreted.
Everyone welcome, suitable for all.
Welcome to Night Classes; a playful, eye-opening theatre experience set to spark your curiosity!
Night Classes is more than a show; it’s a revelation. Join us as we challenge the way we perceive independence within society, inspired by profound insights from disabled people.
Why can’t independence look like asking for help? Perhaps we’ve been imagining independence all wrong.
Unleash your curiosity with Unfolding Theatre, as we dive headfirst into joyous, immersive learning experiences with you and explore the realms of self-sufficiency and inter-dependence like never before.
Night Classes is your ticket to reconnection, revolution and reawakening. Watch as we transform from survival into something much more magical. #NightClassesMagic
Night Classes brings together an award-winning creative team of co-writers Lisette Auton and Becci Sharrock, director Annie Rigby, designer Lady Kitt and performers Alex Elliott, EJ Raymond and Harrison Rowley-Lynn.
Performance duration: approx. 80 mins
(Image credit: Mark Savage)
Wintry Tales: Snow-covered Maps and Mountainous Mayhem – Writer
Live Theatre Newcastle 9th – 23rd December 2023
A LIVE THEATRE Production
WINTRY TALES:SNOW COVERED MAPS AND MOUNTAINOUS MAYHEM
Script by LISETTE AUTON from the ideas of local schoolchildren
Directed by BECKY MORRIS
Performed by MAYA TORRES & HANNAH WALKER
Designed by AILEEN KELLY
Stage Managed & Assistant Direction by ROSIE BOWDEN
Composer JOHN DAWSON
Lighting Design by DRUMMOND ORR
Sound Design by DAVID FLYNN
Technician TAYLOR HOWIE
A brand new gloriously outrageous winter treat for children. Merging the pen of a world class writer with the uncontainable imaginations of schoolchildren, Wintry Tales brings you a series of entirely new, entirely delightful, borderline ridiculous and deeply warming tales brought to stunning theatrical life.
Once upon a cold winter’s day, two children found themselves in a rusty old park. After trainer toe scuffing and mumbled introductions, they discovered that they were both imagineers and world builders, story weavers and playmakers. The two newly found best friends vowed to meet in the park every December when the first snowflake falls, to exchange presents and stories.
And they did.
Until they didn’t.
Many years later, the friends have grown up and grown apart, and forgotten the promise they made. Can a trip to a magical snowy land full of fantastical Wintry Tales, where they must defeat the Geordie Witch at the Big Tesco, journey through a magic portal to find goblin gold, help a wizard detective with a love of hot chocolate search for the mythical cat that only appears once every 100 years, and step aboard the intergalactic train with an alien, a hercu-flea and a pirate that can shapeshift into a pug, help them to reignite their friendship and remember how to play? Will the song of imagination be enough to help them get back home, stop being completely and utterly boring adults, and remember who they really are?
Wintry Tales is proper new writing for kids. No fairytale adaptations, no happily ever afters. These stories and ideas are as fresh as new snow and as wild as an avalanche ride (a really safe one) from pupils from Caedmon Community Primary School, Percy Hedley School, Southwick Community Primary School and Westgate Hill Primary Academy.
Lisette Auton is a proudly Northern and disabled writer, activist, and creative practitioner who works with words in all their forms, solo and with collaborators, as a children’s author published by Puffin, a playwright, a film and theatre maker, in galleries, in theatres and in the community. Some people say she’s a word artist – she says she does stuff with words.
Reviews
‘wacky family fun for everyone’s inner child…is certainly a Christmas show with a difference that I’m sure most children (big, small and even octogenarian) will love to see, too.’
DISABILITY ARTS ONLINE
‘It was wonderful, truly wonderful.’
NORTH EAST BYLINES
‘A festive family winner.’
CULTURED NORTH EAST
What audiences are saying…
Audience Feedback
“We saw this on Saturday and it was absolutely amazing, great acting, script and set which kept our 6 year old (and us) thoroughly entertained!”“It was absolutely magical. It was the most gorgeous, perfect, little winter treat for little ones but for big one too. It was just absolutely gorgeous.”
“It was wacky, it was wild, it was lots of fun, lots of crazy ideas. It was like the imagination of children but large. It had a lovely stage and a lovely set, we’ve had a lot of fun!”
“We thought today’s performance was positively wonderful!”“This very unique and hilarious show…was an amazing performance and we laughed so much. Totally recommend booking tickets!”
“We absolutely loved this today, so many smiles and lots of laughter. Thank you.”
Chop, Dissolve, Burn – Co-writer
Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle 20th June – 8th July 2023
Alphabetti & WANCS programmed one of their most adventurous projects to date, Chop, Dissolve, Burn. Written by acclaimed North East writers, Lisette Auton and Richard
Boggie, this dark and (literally) side-splitting show relentlessly pokes fun at society’s attitudes towards disability, whilst exposing the terrifying truth about the impacts of inequality on disabled people’s lives.
When disabled and non-disabled worlds collide, the consequences can be serious. Or they can be seriously funny. Peter and Rose are old Uni mates. Actually, more than mates. 21 years later, their lives converge once again, but for how long? The area around Rose’s flat is teaming with police. There’s been a serious incident. Surely the poor, vulnerable, inspirational disabled people can’t be involved? After a year of shielding, how far will Rose go to have Peter back in her life? What are two disabled people capable of when pushed too far? Chop, Dissolve, Burn is a black comedy that will have you squirming in your seat. This play relentlessly pokes fun at society’s attitudes towards disability, whilst exposing the terrifying truth about the impacts of inequality on disabled people’s lives. At its heart, Chop Dissolve, Burn is also a simple love story – two former lovers separated by circumstance and a hasty note written on the back of a receipt are brought back together by a pandemic. Do they risk a second chance? And how far will they go to be together again? Be prepared for macabre humour, the absurd, a guide dog with a taste for flesh, and a plant pot.
Writers: Lisette Auton, Richard Boggie
Director: Paul James
Set designer: Molly Barrett
BSL interpreter: Sue Lee
Lighting designer: John Rainsforth
Sound designer: Dave Flynn
Video/projection designer: Von Fox Promotions
Cast includes: Matt Jamie, Steven George, Zoe Lambert, Helen Fox
Stage manager: Andrea Scrimshaw
Producer: Alphabetti Theatre, WANCs
The Secret Garden – Co-Writer
Hexham Book Festival 12th – 13th June 2022 & regional tour June – July 2022
An enchanting tale of friendship and discovery
Commissioned by Queen’s Hall Arts Centre
Premiering at Hexham Book Festival 2022
Written by Becci Sharrock & Lisette Auton
Direction by Ali Pidsley
Design by Lizzy Leech
Sound Design by Sam Slatcher
Produced by Becci Sharrock & Carole Wears
With support from November Club & Live Theatre
“A secret garden, just for them, that no-one else knew about.”
When Lennox finds herself sent to stay in Northumberland after being excluded from her city comp, she is certain there is nothing there for her. Far away from home, with a family she barely knows, she must rediscover herself and in doing so uncover the mystery of the long hidden secret garden.
With brand new folk songs, performed by the cast, this beautiful reimagining will introduce a new generation to the transformational magic of the garden.
Cast (in alphabetical order):
Michael Blair, Sarah Boulter, Ellen Carnazza, Wambui Hardcastle, Zoe Lambert, Shreya Patel, Lauren Waine
Northern Girls – Writer
I was commissioned by Pilot Theatre to write a monologue to be performed as part of Northern Girls. At our first meeting they asked if there was anything I would like when it came to casting:
‘Yes. I’d like to write a neurodivergent character, but only if you will cast a neurodivergent actor. Will you do that?”
They said yes.
Lemon Top is a moment in the life of neurodivergent Stella, as she prepares to give The Big Speech. It’s about being Northern, neurodivergent, learning how to fit in, to live with grief. I am really proud of this piece. Seeing her come to life on stage was a watershed moment for me… Looking for an audition piece for a neurodivergent actor? Just ask me via the contact page and I will send it to you.
Lisette Auton Does Stuff With Words 