Dora Colquhoun | Neurodivergent theatre maker and performer based in Liverpool

About Me

"Through her wonderfully quirky way of looking at things, and careful foolery, Dora finds ways of making connections with you as an audience member, regardless whether you are 5 or 75"

Matthew Linley Eastern Angles/Former Unity Theatre Artistic Director

Dora Colquhoun is a neurodivergent theatre maker and performer based in Liverpool. Dora has a wealth of varied experience as a theatre maker and entertainer she graduated from Dartington College of Arts in 2011 with a first class BA Hons in Contemporary Performance Art Combining Community Practices. She also has a Masters in Applied Theatre at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (2019) She is an incredibly versatile performer who is interested in making bold funny brave work. Dora is a storyteller at heart and uses many artistic forms to create performance that moves people to tears whilst also keeping them in fits of laughter.

Dora has worked with Wild Rumpus, Action Transport Theatre, Cocoloco, Altru, Cbeebies, and Wildworks director Sue Hill.

Recent artistic achievements:

2021 - Awarded ‘Plugged in’ Rural Touring Opportunity with Creative Arts East

2021 - Awarded Arts Council Funding ADHD The Musical R&D, the show was performed at the Liverpool Theatre Festival to 2 sold out shows.

2021 - Selected for ' Artist Lock In' residency Jersey ArtHouse

2020 - Commissioned by Paul Hamlyn Foundation to create 'We are All Made Of Stardust collaborating with 49 participants compiling audio pieces to create a video piece about 'The Overview Effect.'

2017 - 3 months teaching in Croatia with The National Rijeka Youth Theatre

2016 - 6 Month TIE tour across Italy with Theatrino

2015 - Devised/performed The Flowerpot Women with artist Izzie Major for the Hope Street On the Verge Festival 2015. The Flowerpot Women is a satirical dark comedy continued to be developed/performed at Brighton Fringe Festival, (2016) Calderstones Park with The Reader Organisation (2016) Glasgow Surge Festival (2017) Bluecoat Gardens supported by Without Walls Fund/Culture Liverpool 2020.

2015 - Devised/performed all-female Sketch show: Colonial Bastards On Charity, supported by the Unity Theatre Make Art Fund/Arts Council.

Shows

ADHD The Musical

In January 2021 Dora was funded by Arts Council England to develop 'ADHD The Musical: Can I Have Your Attention Please?'. Working with a Neuroscientist from Goldsmiths University to inform the research process the outcome of the project was a musical comedy lecture about navigating a late ADHD diagnosis in a world designed for a neurotypical brain. With the help of Dolly Parton, Julie Andrews and Cher the piece addresses feelings of shame and attempts to unpack feelings of failure. The piece was selected for the Liverpool Theatre Festival 2021 and will be performed again in November supported by Creative Arts East.

Audience feedback

A beautiful, poignant, moving and incredibly important ride from start to finish. The humour, songs, dancing combined with the gorgeous rawness and honesty was truly special. You had me laughing then crying and then a combination of both. Thanks for sharing your heart and soul and boundless talent. I learnt so much and resonated with so many topics and emotions.

The shame bear was genius and involving us in your story and songs made it our story, a universal sharing of being a human being and trying to tackle the confusing thing that is life and trying not to take it all seriously.

Review Liverpool Theatre Festival

Her talents as a performer, with her showcasing some nifty dance moves along with some strong vocal talents. And she has the ability to have audiences laughing one minute and almost wiping away tears the next. A show like this needs a versatile performer to tackle a serious subject with a mix of humour and candour. And that’s what Dora achieves here.

Mark Armstrong Writebase

So relatable, so moving, and it gave me the validation I needed to know I'm not alone in this no matter how much judgement I receive I AM ENOUGH. Thank you

Audience Member

The Flowerpot Women

Funded by the Liverpool Culture Without Walls Fund (2020) Performed at Bluecoat Garden devised in collaboration with Izzie Major and Jonathan McGuire. First developed in collaboration with On The Verge Festival 2015

Flowerpot women a dark absurd comedy described as "Becket mixed with french and Saunders on acid’ about the pitfalls of Eddie and Garlands time in the garden together. A charming absurd piece about friendship, fauna and “getting on”

We Are All Stardust 2020

Collective Encounters commissioned 10 new works by emerging artists. The commissions formed part of their Above & Beyond project, and responded to themes of “community power” and “community action”.

Creative responses took a variety of forms from illustration, poetry, short films and music.

Dora Colquhoun and Jonathan McGuire created a collaborative music piece exploring The Overview Effect; a theory used to describe the awe inspired feeling astronauts experience when viewing the Earth from Space.

COLONIAL BAS***DS ON CHARITY

An all female satirical sketch show supported by the Unity Theatres ‘Make Art fund and ACE funding. Directed by Mat Rutter and Brian Desmond.

Performed at:

Unity Theatre 2015
Brighton Fringe 2014
Cornerstone Festival 2014,
Edge Hill University Performance and Domination Colloquium 2013
Liverpool Hope University Change Makers Conference 2013
Threshold Festival 2013

Matthew Linley

Former Artistic director of The Unity Theatre and Eastern Angles

"I loved Dora's work in The Flowerpot Women.

Like all the best clowning what appears simple is actually incredibly skillfully put together. In fact The Flowerpot Women epitomises for me the strengths of Dora as an artist - through her wonderfully quirky way of looking at things, and through careful foolery she finds ways of making connections with you as an audience member, regardless whether you are 5 or 75.

I once dragged a screaming toddler to one of her allotment performances and to your eternal credit she was utterly entranced from start to finish and the tears magically stopped. Such is the skill of a great artist in my book!"

Steven Hull

All Things Considered Theatre

"I first collaborated with Dora Colquhoun in 2014 as part of the Hope Street Ltd Emerging Artist Program when I was the sound design/music mentor. Dora is an incredibly creative and talented performer with a penchant for storytelling through song. Dora is a highly skilled and experienced collaborator and has an exceptional ability for creating catchy melodies and songs. I am in full support of this project as I believe in Dora's ability to successfully create a high quality body of original work and utilize all her skills as a devisor, composer and performer."

Trevor Stuart and Helen Statman

Cocoloco

"Dora is very talented, comedic, reliable and an excellent team player, intelligent, dedicated, whacky.... she takes direction well and is fun to work with! We first came across Dora mentoring her on the Hope Street Emerging Artist program. Since then we have gone on to collaborate with Dora on various projects she is a pure joy in the rehearsal room and on stage!"

Brian Desmond

Artistic Director of BYOB

Dora is an ‘exceptional individual’, and a versatile, innovative and multi-talented arts worker. As a theatre maker and performer, she seamlessly adapts to different performance environments, including promenade/street theatre, immersive, text-based and devised work. In the memorable “On Charity” (Colonial B******s, 2015), which she co-wrote and performed, she demonstrated a daring and committed social conscience and an exceptional capacity for performing comedy and satire.

As a facilitator, she enables and inspires with a warmth and power that is uniquely hers. Supporting her future work would benefit the lives and wellbeing of everyone lucky enough to encounter her along the way.

Nina Hajiyianni

Artistic Director of Action Transport Theatre

Dora is a unique talent who creates work which feels fresh and relevant for today, she combines comic timing, wit and commentary which provokes and delights audiences

Sue Hill

Artistic Director of Wild works

Dora' presence at the Artist Lock-in was a delight. She has a totally original take on the world and a generous creative energy; playful, surreal and clever. 'Think Duck, Live Duck, Be Duck,Duck' will live long in our memories...

Adam McGuigan

Artistic Director of Wake The Beast

Dora has the magic alchemy of being a stunning performer, ingenious deviser whilst being expertly aware of the bigger picture of a project. Dora never plays it safe, she always pushes to make work which is political, relevant, timely and HILARIOUS!

Dora is one of the most charming, funny, dynamic and adventurous artists I have worked with. She rose to every challenge put in front of her- and then raised the game for everyone else in the space (including the director) . Dora puts her heart into every piece she works on and I know ADHD: The Musical; can I have our attention please, will become a trailblazing production to highlight the holistic experience of people with ADHD. I would work again with Dora in an instant and hope to for many years to come