"Lizzie Bourne was the stand out performer...complete convincing in her role." Ed Fringe Review
MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE
Hello! I am an actor with theatre, radio drama, commercial and screen credits, particularly adept at physical theatre and accents. I am from and trained in the UK, and I have dual US and UK citizenship. Based in Chicago, I am represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent.
A passion for effective communication - with audiences and colleagues, of emotions, lifestyles and ideas - drives my work. Whether performing a radio drama or puppetry, writing to realise my vision or someone else's, or exploring new markets to expand my network, I actively seek opportunities. I approach each challenge with confidence, a desire to learn and a positive attitude. I care about building great relationships and championing great messages.
"One of the best actresses I have seen over the course of my career."
RIGHT NOW
I have just closed Fen at The Court Theatre in Chicago. On the marshy fens of eastern England in the 1980s, ghosts of the past haunt the women who labor as tenant farmers in the potato fields. When Val seizes on a new relationship to escape the bonds of work, poverty, and family, she is confronted with the explosive repercussions of her decision. Jeff Award-winning director Vanessa Stalling returns to Court Theatre to bring her striking clarity and fresh perspective to the path-breaking Churchill text. Read some reviews.
I recently read the character Wilma St Claire in Stephanie Walker's new play Sophia Hayden Deserves Better, directed by Devon de Mayo and Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel and sponsored by the Jamaica Plain Historical Society in Boston.
BELOVED PROJECTS
BBC RADIO 4
Working with a team led by Jessica Dromgoole and including Toby Jones and Martine McCutcheon, I played series regular Juliet Cavendish on the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 show Home Front. 15 seasons later I've honed my voice acting skills and I'm on the lookout for more opportunities to use them. Listen to my voicereel here:
YEN
"...fully capable of inducing shivers of recognition, but also avoids of all the cliches that present themselves in plays with characters reverting to primal behavior." Chicago Tribune
Maggie is a hopeless mother on paper - and in practice - but Raven Theatre's production of Yen gave Tiffany Bedwell and I (u/s) the opportunity to get inside her skin and find her humanity. Magic writer Anna Jordan sheds light on those members of society who are often forced to stay in the dark - Yen is no exception.
THE GLORIOUS DAMNATION OF EDDIE SMALL
"Lizzie Bourne deserves special mention for her incredibly convincing portrayal of Eddie’s manager Jo, a versatile and highly-strung character." EdFringe review.
The Glorious Damnation of Eddie Small was performed at the Union Theatre in London and Bedlam Theatre at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Here's a link to a video of us singing, and a bit more information about the show!
EDUCATION
THE OXFORD SCHOOL OF DRAMA
My professional CDS accredited training was made up of voice work (including Linklater under Joanna Weir Ouston); physical work including contact improvisation, dance and stage combat; acting for stage, screen and radio; singing with Jon Laird. I achieved a post-graduate certificate in Acting.
MSC CREATIVE WRITING, UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
Through seminars and workshops on this Masters course, I developed skills in storytelling and prose writing. My dissertation was a 30,000 word novella entitled Joy. I now write playscripts, screenplays and poetry.
BA(HONS) ENGLISH, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM
The range of literary figures and works I studied includes Chaucer, Shakespeare, Austen, Miller and Wilde. I most enjoyed The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde and The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. Literary study has given me an appreciation of detail, an analytical and empathic temperament, and excellent communication skills.
