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Carolina Ortega

Director

I'm a Venezuelan devising theatre maker. I see theatre as a way to share the world and its possibilities, a way of telling stories that are not often heard, a way to share a collective moment, a space for the personal, the political and the unusual.
I work often (though not exclusively) with biographical and documentary material and work with performers as co-authors of the material created, where their views, perspectives and experiences are present. I'm mostly focused on political, migrant, female and queer themes with the goal of creating work that is not often seen or discussed on stage. My work is influenced by different genres including performance art, dark clown and post-dramatic german theatre. I seek to ask questions with my work, rather than provide statements and I experiment with dramaturgical structures to this end.

Credits

Directing credits include, 'I Gave Him an Orchid' (Jury Price 100Grad Berlin 2014, Edinburgh Fringe 2015), 'What The Circus'(Roundhouse London and Garage Norwich 2017) Created and directed'Freedom Hurts' (Sophiensaele 100Grad Berlin 2015) and'No Way Out' (Camden People's Theatre London, Ballhaus Ost Berlin 2018). Other directing credits include John Hinton (directing Ensonglopedia of British History) in 2019; co-director of 'What Silence Has To Say' by Blauhauch (2018) and '(R)Evolving Path' with Alex Carrillo (2018). 
Worked as programmer of CASA Latin American Theatre Festival between 2009-12 and Creative Producer at the Bush Theatre in 2012 (London). I was co-artistic director of FLIGHT OF THE ESCALES between 2013-2018. 

I currently work with Performance Artist and documentary theatre maker Lalo Gomes with our duo 'Gegen Butterflies' creating investigative work about the Venezuelan crisis . As a Performance Art practitioner and outside eye, I've collaborated with Laura Jones (AKA Babypunk) for Sophienseale and NgBK Berlin, and Ethan Folk & Ty Wardwell (USA/ DE) for ETB/IPAC Berlin (2018).  
As a dramaturg, I've worked with Nassim Soleimanpour (IR/DE) ('Nassim'/ Bush Theatre & Ed Fringe Festival 2017 & Nassim Soleimanpour/ Jesper Pedersen (DK) 'Cook' CPH Festival 2017. I've worked as a dance dramaturg with Alex Carrillo at Dock 11 Berlin and with Enrico D. Wey (USA/TW) at UdK and Dansepace NYC (USA). Other dramaturg credits include Tangram Theatre ('Fuente Ovejuna', London 2011), John Hinton ('Earth Calling' and 'Grolid Sound', 2009), Scandimaniacs (SE) ('Lowbottomy', Blue Elephant 2013), Idreman (Amsterdam Fringe, 2011).  
More information on: http://www.carolinaortega.eu/
No Way Out website: https://nowayoutplay.com/

Training

RADA London MA Text and Performance (Direction and Dramaturgy)
UdK Berlin Biographic and Documentary Theatre (Direction and Dramaturgy)
SMASH Berlin Contemporary Experimental Choreography and Performance
Physical Theatre (2 yr) City Lit + LISPA
Clown (various): P. Gaulier, L. Delong, T. Park, J. Mohat, T. Pattik

Location

London

Experience

10+ years

What I do

  • Choreography
  • Devising
  • Dramaturgy
  • Languages
  • Performance Art
  • Physical Theatre / Mime
  • Teaching / Coaching
  • Verbatim theatre
  • Working with disabled non-professional adults / children
  • Working with learning disabled adults / children
  • Working with young people
  • Working with young people with special educational needs
  • Writing

Additional Languages

Spanish (mother tongue), German (B2), French and Italian (B2)

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