About Our Founder

The Live Literature Company was founded in 2002 by our Artistic Director, Val Doulton, with the aim of creating high quality drama that is accessible to the widest possible audience.

Val’s Work Prior To The Live Literature Company

Val’s first long term employment was as ‘Girl Friday’ for the animated film company Melendez, which made Snoopy. She has retained a love of Snoopy and animation ever since.

Val then began her theatrical career by working at the Box office of Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre before progressing to the role of Stage Manager at the Pool Theatre, where she met life-long friends Lindsay Kemp and John Spradbery.

She then went on to study BA English Literature & Language, with a subsidiary study in Philosophy, at Newcastle University. Upon graduation, she won a place at the BBC to train as a Studio Manager, where she qualified and then worked at Broadcasting House, Bush House (for the world service), and Radiophonic Workshop.

Val left the BBC to undertake post-graduate training as a Director at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Her graduating production Magnificence by Howard Brenton was performed in the now Weston Studio at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre.

Val was then appointed as an Assistant Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester. She assisted on the pantomime Cinderella written by Trevor Peacock, as well as T.S. Elliot’s play The Family Reunion which was directed by Michael Elliott. This contract also involved teaching at the Manchester Polytechnic Theatre School (now Manchester School of Theatre), where she directed a production of Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekov.

Being a true Portsdown Lodge prep-school girl, where theatre was taught as a revered art form, Val has always followed her creative passions, which has led to a long and successful career as a Freelancer. However, it wasn’t always easy! Working as a creative freelancer can be difficult. In her teens, twenties, and thirties Val also supported herself as a Waitress, Sales Assistant, and Typist whilst carving out a career in the creative industries.

DRAMA SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS

Director and Devisor of Shakespeare’s Kings and Queens for the anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth in 2001. Performances were staged at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature and The National Portrait Gallery with Anna Calder-Marshall, David Burke, Tom Burke, and Kate Sissons.

Director and Devisor of Poetry of War and Conscience. Performances were staged at the Cheltenham Festival of Literature with Dame Judi Dench and at the National Theatre with Tim Pigott-Smith.

Director and Designer of First Love by Samuel Beckett. Performances were staged in 2000 at the National Theatre, Nottingham Playhouse, and two international Beckett festivals, including Beckett in Berlin 2000. All performances were given by Kilian McKenna.

Director of Three Women by Sylvia Plath and Sylvia Plath: A Dramatic Portrait by Barry Kyle, both performed at the National Theatre.

Director of a season of short plays at the Lyric Hammersmith, which included Chamber Music by Kopit, Cathleen Ni Houlihan by Yeats, and Funeral Games by Joe Orton.

MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

Val directed the music theatre piece The Soldier’s Tale by Igor Stravinsky for St. Donat’s Music Theatre (now St. Donat’s Arts Centre). The production opened at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff and was followed by a tour of Wales.

Prior to staging The Soldier’s Tale, Val worked as an observer to John Copley at the Royal Opera House on Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and Handel’s Sémélé. Val was also Copley’s assistant on a Royal Opera House gala for the Queen’s 60th birthday.

DRAMA SCHOOL PRODUCTIONS

As a specialist in Performance Studies, Val has taught and directed productions at many of the UK’s leading Drama Schools, including Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Drama Centre London, Drama Studio London, Guilford School of Acting, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Manchester Polytechnic Drama School, Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Mountview, ALRA, Italia Conti, and City Lit.

CHARITY PERFORMANCES

Prior to forming the company, Val has also raised money for sexual health and HIV charity, Terrence Higgins Trust, with a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It performed at the Garrick Theatre for a special gala evening.

Additionally, Val has fund-raised for the NSPCC with a performance of Dottie by Irene Ison, a one-woman play about American writer Dorothy Parker at the King’s Head Theatre for a community Islington NSPCC gala evening; the title role was played by Tania Ison.