About Our Founder

Valerie founded The Live Literature Company in 2002. The aim then was to stage high quality drama which is accessible to the widest possible audience. Since then, she has broadened the company’s vision to include the staging of U.K. and worldwide literary heritage in dynamic performances which bring words to life through spoken word, drama, and combined arts work. These performances are still accessible to all, and unite diverse voices, cultures and audiences.

Val’s studies in the French language and culture in France were interrupted in Paris when she was living in the Quartier Latin at the centre of the 1968 Revolution, a time of turmoil for France which has had a lifelong impact on her thinking.

Her career in theatre then began in the U.K. by working on the Box Office of Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre before progressing to the role of Stage Manager at the Pool Theatre, Edinburgh, where she met life-long friends, Lindsay Kemp and John Spradbery.

After these years working Val went on to study a BA in English Literature & Language, with a subsidiary study in Philosophy, at Newcastle University. Upon graduation, she gained 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 mentor there was the great director of the school, Nat Brenner. Her final production was Magnificence by Howard Brenton, performed in the now Weston Studio at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre.

On graduation from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Val interviewed for, and was then appointed as, an Assistant Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester, where she assisted on the pantomime Cinderella written by Trevor Peacock, and T.S. Eliot’s play The Family Reunion 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 Chekhov.

Since her early years in education where theatre was taught as a revered art form, Val has followed her creative passions, which has led to a long and successful career as a freelancer. However, it hasn’t always been easy, and has often been hard, working as a creative freelancer is difficult! In her thirties Val was still supporting herself in addition to directing shows, as a waitress, sales & shop assistant, and typist, whilst carving out a career in the creative industries, jobs she had done part-time in her teenage years and twenties before long term employment. Her first long term employment was as ‘Girl Friday’ for the animated film company Melendez which makes Snoopy animated films, she has retained a love of Snoopy and animation ever since!

As creative work is a work of joy, and The Live Literature Company is also a joy, she is glad her life has developed in this way.

To see Val’s work as Director, Producer, Writer, Podcaster, Teacher, and charity supporter, please click on the relevant pages in the L.L.C. website.