Olivia Fischer
Thesis title: Towards an Ethical Dramaturgy when representing female sexual trauma on the Post-MeToo British Stage
PhD supervisors:
Background
Olivia Fischer is a South African professional theatre maker and third-year Ph.D. student currently residing in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is an award-winning playwright and producer, and founder of LIV Studios, a production company focusing on touring plays written by and for women.
In 2017, she graduated from the University of Cape Town with an Hons. in Theatre and Performance, specializing in theatre making, and in 2020, graduated from the University of Edinburgh with an MSc in Playwriting with distinction.
Qualifications
1. University of Edinburgh, Thesis: Towards an ethical dramaturgy when developing themes of female sexual trauma for the post-MeToo British stage (2022-present). Supervisors: Nicola McCartney (primary), Dr. Hannah Simpson (secondary), Dr. Suzanne Trill (Secondary - Maternity cover).
2. University of Edinburgh, MA in Playwriting with distinction (2019-2020). Supervisor: Nicola McCartney.
3. University of Cape Town, BA. Hons. in Theatre and Performance (specialising in theatre making) with distinction, Dean's List recipient 2016 and 2017, awarded Entrance scholarship for Acting in 2014 (2014-2018). Supervisor: Prof. Mark Fleishman.
Responsibilities & affiliations
Editor for FORUM, University of Edinburgh's Postgraduate Journal of Culture and the Arts (2024-2025)
Theatre Writer and Reviewer for The Student, University of Edinburgh newspaper (2022-2024)
Theatre Reviewer for EdFringe Review (2025)
Panelist for the National Arts Festival (South Africa) New Playwriting Award in the English Language category: reading and selecting the winner for the English Language category (2022 and 2024)
Mentor for Winner of the National Arts Festival (South Africa) new Playwriting Award in the English Language category: dramaturgy, playwriting and mentorship support and teaching (2022 an 2024)
Reader for LIVE! Playwriting Competition, Newcastle (2024)
Reader for James Tait Black for Drama (2019-2020): reading and selecting submitted plays for the award's long and short list)
Undergraduate teaching
Academic Tutor:
English Literary Studies 2A (2024)
English Literary Studies 1B (2025)
Postgraduate teaching
Academic Tutor:
Humanities and Arts Informed Research Methods in Social Sciences, School of Health (2023)
Project activity
In Development: A podcast funded by the BeTheChange Network based in London that is based on my doctoral studies research and dissertation. Set to be released in 2025.
Participant
KAMMERKAMPUS #22 Friendly Confrontations (2020), hosted by the Munich Kammerspiele
- Vanishing Point (Scotland), EVERYONE IS CREATIVE Fund for PINKFACE in collaboration with JD Stewart (2020)
- The Filipa Bragancia Award (Edinburgh Fringe Festival) for Tales in the Garden, produced by Olivia (2019)
- The Conversation Creation Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival) for STILL (2018)
- Best International Show (Hollywood Fringe Festival) for STILL (2018)
- Pick of the Fringe (Hollywood Fringe Festival) for STILL (2018)
- Bitter Lemons 'Double Sweet' Award (Hollywood Fringe Festival) for STILL (2018)
- Brett Goldin Trophy for Best Production (FEDA, South Africa) for For Colored girls who have considered suicide when the reainbow is enuf, directed by Olivia (2012)
STILL (full length play) in Hauntings: an Anthology of South African Plays (2022)
Coming for You (a monologue) in Between the Pillar and the Post: an Anthology of South African Monologues and Duologues (2019), published by the Market Theatre Laboratory
I can't sleep when my body feels like salt (and other teen mom musings) (a poem) in BROTH zine (2023)