Sophie Bertrand Besse

Director Facilitator Deviser Creative Art Therapist Writer

Sophie Bertrand Besse (she/her) is a French playwright and director trained in both drama and therapy. She worked for six years in Fleury-Mérogis, a French prison, where she was in charge of young female offenders. Alongside regular counselling sessions, she ran workshops using drama to develop self-expression, collaboration and social skills. In 2011, Sophie founded PSYCHEdelight, a theatre company of Sanctuary celebrating diversity and promoting social inclusion by bringing marginalized communities and local people together through their creations and workshops. The Southwark Playhouse and Park Theatre in London host our Together Workshops. Sophie wrote and directed two shows (“A Woman Inside” - 2011, “The Empty Frame” - 2015) and directed three devised shows with a mixed cast of European and refugee artists (“Borderline” - 2016, “Welcome to the UK!” - 2019, “Mohand & Peter” - 2022).

“The work of PSYCHEdelight is smart, nuanced and important. They create work that shines with authenticity, that does all the great things theatre should do - Entertain, move, provoke and motivate.” - Theatre Delicatessen, Roland Smith

“Young Vic Taking Part is delighted to support PSYCHEdelight... We believe theatre should open up doors to the world, and help us understand the lives of others. PSYCHEdelight is doing just this.” - Imogen Brodie

Credits

DIRECTOR, Mohand & Peter, Southwark Playhouse, 4 weeks, 2022

DIRECTOR, Welcome to the UK!, Bunker Theatre (London) and Home (Manchester), 4 weeks, 2019

DIRECTOR, Borderline, multiple London venues (Bunker Theatre, Pleasance Theatre, Southbank Centre), national and international tour (India, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, Shangai - online, Singapore - online), 2018

WRITER, CO-DIRECTOR, ACTOR, The Empty Frame, Theatre 503 and national tour, 2 weeks, 2013

WRITER, DIRECTOR, A Woman Inside, Etcetera Theatre and national tour, 4 weeks, 2011

Training

Certified Psychologist and Group Therapist
Cours Florant (Drama School), Paris, 2 years

Workshops training in improvisation: Imprology, Improbable, Keith Johnstone, Third Person, Chris Johnston

Workshops training in clowning: The Wright School, Lucy Hopkins, Frank Wurzinger, Ben Keaton

Workshops training in devising, physical theatre, ensemble work and directing: Lecoq, LISPA, Told by an Idiot, Dirty Market (John Lee), Theatre Re, The Pappyshow, Complicite, Kosta Andrea Sekulic, Katie Mitchell

Workshops in applied theatre: Tony Sealy, Graea Company, Transpose

Location

London

Experience

10+ years

Art forms / Disciplines

  • Comedy
  • Theatre / Live perfomance

What I do

  • Devising
  • Directing
  • Dramaturgy
  • Facilitating
  • Languages
  • Performing
  • Physical Theatre / Mime
  • Producing
  • Site Responsive/Immersive
  • Street Theatre
  • Theatre making
  • Working with disabled artists
  • Working with disabled non-professional adults / children
  • Working with learning disabled adults / children
  • Working with learning disabled artists
  • Working with young people
  • Working with young people with special educational needs
  • Working within a Community / with community participants
  • Workshopping & Development
  • Writing

Additional Languages

French (native language)

Social

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