NEWS
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
April 2023
‘Hello, Muscles’ won ‘Best Women’s Short’ and received the honorable mention under the Oscar-qualifying ‘Best Live Action Short’ catergory at Cleveland International Film Festival 2023, in Ohio, USA.
HEBDEN BRIDGE FILM FESTIVAL DOUBLE WIN
March 2023
‘Hello, Muscles’ won ‘Best Short’ in both the Jury Prize and Audience Award at Hebden Bridge Film Festival 2023.
CELTIC MEDIA AWARDS NOMINATION
March 2023
‘Knock of the Ban-Sithe’ (BBC R4 Drama of the Week) has been nominated for ‘Best Drama’ (Sound) in the Torc Awards at the 44th Celtic Media Festival in Dungloe. The Summit and awards will take place between 6th - 8th June 2023.
WIN AT MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
March 2023
‘Hello, Muscles’ (Directed by Marnie Baxter) won ‘Best U.K. Short’ at BIFA-qualifying Manchester Film Festival 2023.
BBC AUDIO DRAMA AWARDS NOMINATION
February 2023
‘Knock of the Ban-Sìthe’ has been announced as a finalist nominee for BBC Audio Drama Awards 2023.
Previously BBC Radio 4’s ‘Drama of the Week’, the drama and writer Kenny Boyle is up for the Imison Award. Celebrating 100 years of the BBC, the ceremony will take place Sunday 19 March 2023 in the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House London.
CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL SELECTION
February 2023
‘Hello, Muscles’ has been selected for 47th Academy Awards ‘Oscar'-qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival 2023, running between 20th March - 9th April 2023.
Screening at the Allen Theatre on 28th March 2023, It will also stream as part of ‘Parability Shorts’ online 2nd - 9th April 2023. More information here.
‘A JOURNEY WITH NAN SHEPHERD’ - A LIVE READING
January 2023
Pitlochry Festival Theatre has announced their Winter Words Festival 2023, to include a live excerpt of the new play version of ‘A Journey with Nan Shepherd’. Sophia McLean will play Aberdeenshire writer, poet and educator Nan Shepherd with David Rankine as confidante Neil Gunn and other characters. The performance will be on 11th February 2023.
Produced by Firebrand Theatre and supported by The British Academy, Richard Baron will direct.
Tickets and more information available here.
MANCHESTER FILM FESTIVAL SELECTION
January 2023
‘Hello, Muscles’ has been selected for BIFA-qualifying Manchester Film Festival 2023, running between 10th - 19th March 2023.
Full selection programme here.
PARENT CLUB - THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
December 2022
Promoting child development, Sophia provided voiceovers for The Parent Club campaign for The Scottish Government with UNION agency, Leith.
FILMING RETURNING CRIME DRAMA
November 2022
Over November and December Sophia will be filming a returning tv series in Scotland, due for release next year.
THE TIMES PODCAST OF THE WEEK
October 2022
Firebrand Theatre’s 3 part audio series ‘A Journey with Nan Shepherd’ in association with Pitlochry Festival Theatre, has been published as The Times ‘Podcast of the Week’.
Delivered through the SoundStage platform, it will be broadcast again on 21st November 2022 and 30th January 2023.
HELLO, MUSCLES FESTIVAL PREMIERE
October 2022
‘Hello, Muscles’ will debut at The Soho London Independent Film Festival on Friday 18th November 2022.
A short film exploring what it means to be strong when caring for someone you love, through the eyes of a young girl in Dundee, it will debut on Day 2 of the festival.
Directed by Marnie Baxter and written by Matthew Hurt, it is produced by Eight Trick Pony and Geronimo Boy Films. Featuring Kate Dickie, Richard Rankin, Dorothy Blyth and Sophia McLean.
A JOURNEY WITH NAN SHEPHERD
October 2022
Through Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s ‘Soundstage’, Firebrand’s ‘A Journey with Nan Shepherd’ 3 part audio series will debut on 24th October 2022.
It will be broadcast again on 21st November 2022 and 30th January 2023.
Featuring David Rankine and Sophia McLean, it is directed by Richard Baron, engineered by Mark Rickards with music composed by Cameron Rickards and produced by Ellie Zeegen.
FILMING
September 2022
Sophia is filming on a long running series until mid-October, due for release next year.
KNOCK OF THE BAN-SÌTHE
August 2022
Due for broadcast 18th August on BBC Radio Four, Lewis writer Kenny Boyle’s ‘Knock of the Ban-Sìthe’ follows 3 siblings coming back to the isle of Lewis, and attempt to stave death from their door.
Featuring Helen MacKay, Kenny Boyle, Mairi NicIlleMhoire and Sophia McLean.
Directed by Bruce Young, produced by Patricia Hitchcock.
NAN SHEPHERD AUDIO DRAMA
August 2022
Together with David Rankine, Sophia is recording ‘A Journey with Nan Shepherd’ as Nan Shepherd, writer of ‘The Living Mountain’.
Directed by Richard Baron and sound engineered by Mark Rickards, the 3 part series will be released later this year.
ARCTIC CIRCLE PREMIERE FOR DELICATE
June 2022
After another 3 weeks of R&D, ‘Delicate’ will be premiered at Nordland Visual Theatre in Norway.
Mixing Chinese Pole, Ballet, movement and acrobatics, ‘Delicate’ is a co-production between Extraordinary Bodies, NVT Norway and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Written & Directed by Jamie Beddard, Co-directed by Eilis Bevan-Davis and Circus directed by Lydia Harper.
NEW 3 PART DRAMA
May 2022
Currently filming a new 3 part drama, it is due to be released later this year.
BBC RADIO FOUR
May 2022
Written by Kenny Boyle, Gaelic ghost tale ‘Knock of the Ban-Sìthe’ is recorded under the direction of Bruce Young and will be broadcast in mid-August 2022.
DELICATE AT THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH
April 2022
Mixing circus, theatre, movement and acrobatics; Sophia joins the company of Extraordinary Bodies at Theatre Royal Plymouth to develop ‘Delicate’.
Written and directed by Jamie Beddard.
Co-produced with Figurteatret i Nordland / Nordland Visual Theatre Norway, Extraordinary Bodies (Cirque Bijou / Diverse City) and Theatre Royal Plymouth.
THE GRAIN STORE READING
March 2022
On Tuesday 29th March, Sophia will be amongst 25 actors reading Ukrainian playwright Natal’ya Vorozhbit’s ‘The Grain Store’. All proceeds will go to Disaster Emergency Committee’s Ukraine appeal: https://www.dec.org.uk/appeal/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal
LET’S FLY LAUNCHED
February 2022
Aberdeen International Airport’s ‘Let’s Fly’ campaign has been released on Scottish screens.
Voiced by Sophia, produced by MBP.
NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT
January 2022
Collaborating with director Alice Langley and writer Gabriella Sloss, Sophia will be workshopping new play ‘Malvolio’s Magnificent Mechanical Meat Market’ in Glasgow.
BURNS’ NIGHT LONDON
January 2022
Alongside piper Sacha Small, Sophia will be hosting and performing the works of Robert Burns at Galvin Bistrot & Bar at Spitalfields and the Galvin Bar & Grill at Kimpton Fitzroy London (Formerly The Russell Hotel).
PERTHSHIRE PLAYS DEVELOPMENT
November 2021
In a collaboration between Perth Theatre, Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Playwrights’ Studio Scotland, Sophia will be worshopping 3 new plays in Perth.
‘The Couple Lie Together on the Floor’ with Kenny Boyle, written by Benn Brown, directed by Kate Nelson.
‘Blood Thicker Than Water’ with Janette Foggo, written by Angela Ness, directed by Jenna Watt.
‘Fish’ with Tom McGovern and Dylan Blore, written by Sean O’Neil, directed by Joe Douglas.
SHOOTING BEGINS FOR ‘STORMY WEATHER’ IN BERLIN
November 2021
Joining the cast of film short ‘Stormy Weather’ as Claudia, Sophia appears alongside Irina Usova, and under the direction of Miguel Guzman.
Photo credit: Dorin Filimon
NATWEST BANKING GROUP: COP26
October 2021
Sophia voices Natwest Banking Group’s (Natwest / RBS / Ulster Bank) COP26 Campaign.
The 3 videos can be seen here:
WOWsers: A CREATIVE EXPLOSION - WoW x BBC CHILDREN IN NEED
October 2021
Created in partnership with BBC Children in Need's A Million & Me programme, Women of the World Foundation debuts online exhibition ‘WOWsers: A Creative Explosion’.
Showcasing the talent of girls and non-binary young people aged 8 to 16 years old, it offers a creative snapshot into the lives, concerns and passions of girls and non-binary young people living in the U.K. today.
Sophia voices fellow Elginite Amy, aged 13’s short animated poem ‘As Bright as a Flame’
Animation: Fee Sheal
BBC ‘WORDS AND MUSIC: SIR WALTER SCOTT’
August 2021
Broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Sophia reads the work of Sir Walter Scott and those he influenced, alongside Denis Lawson.
Works include:
Sir Walter Scott - The Lay of the Last Minstrel - Canto II – Melrose Abbey
Sir Walter Scott - Ivanhoe
Margaret Oliphant - The Library Window
Jean Guthrie Smith - The Black Belt
Iain Banks - The Wasp Factory
Sir Walter Scott - My Aunt Margaret's Mirror
Produced by Torquil MacLeod, the programme is available for 4 weeks on BBC Sounds
HELLO, MUSCLES
June 2021
Sophia has recently completed shooting in Dundee, alongside Kate Dickie and Richard Rankin.
Directed by Marnie Baxter, ‘Hello, Muscles’ is produced by Eight Trick Pony and Geronimo Boy Films, with casting by Anna Dawson.
WHAT IF…? SCOTLAND - V & A DUNDEE
May 2021
At the start of 2020, 7N paired 25 people from 5 places: Wester Hailes, Paisley, Annan, Elgin, and Lerwick in Shetland – with 25 designers, architects, and artists – to share their hopes, dreams or wishes for the future of the place where they live.
This collaborative process has been captured in a series of short films by film maker Basharat Khan, with voiceover from Sophia McLean.
These films are on exhibition at the V & A Dundee, until November 2021.
The project is commissioned by the Scotland + Venice Partnership. Supported by the Scottish Government, Architecture and Design Scotland, Creative Scotland, British Council Scotland and National Galleries of Scotland.
ECHO / CHAMBER
May 2021
In Antonia Georgieva and Oliver McFadden’s modern queer adaptation of ‘The Bacchae’, Sophia voices Agatha for Aslant Theatre’s world premiere of interactive gameplay ‘Echo / Chamber’, alongside Isaac Hesketh & Oliver McFadden as Drew and Paul.
“Along with the choose-your-own-adventure format, Echo/Chamber’s strength is in its cast…Sophia McLean’s voiceovers are compelling and powerful, luring you in right from the very start.”
PAGE TO STAGE ★★★★
LONDON THEATRE 1 ★★★★
WEST END BEST FRIEND ★★★★
MY THEATRE MATES ★★★★
TRAVERSE THEATRE READINGS
May 2021
For Traverse Theatre’s young writers Scratch, with 9 other actors, Sophia will perform work by 3 of 14 writers mentored by the Traverse Theatre Young Writers Programme, and directed by Jordan Blackwood and Eve Nicol.
‘Trash’ by Isla Cowan
‘Level with Me’ by Andrew Gallagher
‘A Matter of Medium Importance’ by Katy Green
TO THE LIGHTHOUSE - AUDIO DRAMA
February 2021
In a new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s ‘To the Lighthouse’ by Aida Rocci, Sophia plays Mrs Ramsay alongside Paul Hilliar. Directed by Antonia Georgieva and sound designed by Amy Mawer, this audio pilot is presented by Aslant Theatre Company for the NSDF x Spotlight UK festival.
ROBERT BURNS’ ‘YE BANKS AND BRAES’
January 2021
In a new arrangement of ‘Ye Banks and Braes’, Sophia accompanies musician and composer Blair Coron with a reading of Robert Burns’ poetry; now available on Spotify and iTunes.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? AUDIO DRAMA
December 2020
Sophia joins writer Libby Welsh in audio drama pilot ‘Can You Hear Me?’ directed by Jack Silver. ‘Can You Hear Me?’ is produced by Five Fifty Five.
SHOOTING BEGINS FOR ‘ALDOUS’ IN BERLIN
November 2020
Joining the cast of film short ‘Aldous’ as Aldous O’Hara, Sophia appears alongside Tonio Schneider, and under the direction of Francis Rogers for AOTR.
Photo credit: Juergen Hirsch
SOPHIA JOINS ‘CAGED BIRD’ FOR NEW WRITING R & D
October 2020
Sophia joins ‘Caged Bird’ in the development of a new monologue play by Patrick Swain, directed by Jasper Frost and produced by Jonathan Taylor, at The Cockpit, London.
TWO ROUNDS READING
October 2020
Translated and led by Aida Rocci, Sophia took part in the rehearsed reading of Cristina Comencini’s Italian ‘Due Partite’ as ‘Two Rounds. Playing mother ‘Sophia’ and her daughter, ‘Rose’, Sophia appeared together alongside Ingrid Werner, Varshini Pichemuthu and Courtney Buchner.
SAILGP’S ‘RACE FOR THE FUTURE’ CAMPAIGN
October 2020
Sophia narrates SailGP’s ‘Race for Future’ campaign, directed by Jose Garnes; thanks to Engage Digital Partners and SailGP.
Listen here
‘LOST AT SEA’ AT ‘THE SCOTSMAN SESSIONS’ #116
October 2020
Reuniting with 6 others of the 9 strong original cast, Sophia joined writer/creator Morna Young, Jennifer Black, Andy Clark, Ali Craig, Tam Dean Burn, Kim Gerard and Gerry Mulgrew to record an excerpt of ‘Lost at Sea’ for The Scotsman Sessions.
Originally performed in 2019, opening at Perth Theatre/ Horsecross Arts and touring Scotland, the article and excerpt can be viewed here
‘CONVERSATIONS / FUTURE SELVES’
August 2020
Commissioned by Y Lab (NESTA / Cardiff University) & Arts Council Wales, Sophia can be heard in audio submission ‘New Normal’ as part of ‘Conversations / Future Selves’ here.
Conversations / Future Selves is a project initiated by Theatre Maker & Access Consultant Jonny Cotsen, Curator & Producer Louise Hobson and Arts Development Manager Sarah Goodey (Gwent Arts in Health / Aneurin Bevan University Health Board) as part of the Y Lab / Arts Council Wales ‘HARP’ (Health, Arts, Research, People) innovation programme Sprint.
ROBERT BURNS POETRY COLLECTION
July 2020
Recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown and fused with immersive, modern soundscapes, Sophia narrates ‘To a Mountain Daisy’ and ‘Address to a Haggis’ in Almost Tangible’s newest audio collection ‘Robert Burns: a Collections of Poems and Songs’.
Directed by Carl Prekopp, sound designed by Jon Nicholls and produced by Charlotte Melén.
Available for download on Apple Books, Google Play, Audiobooks.com, Scribd and Kobo.
HEDDA GABLER IN ‘HEDDA GABLER’ AT GREENWICH THEATRE
March 2020
Sophia is to appear as the title role in ‘Hedda Gabler’ at Greenwich Theatre, London.
Directed by Sara Reimers, Lazarus’ production will open 25th March 2020 running until 4th April 2020.
** POSTPONED DUE TO COVID 19 **
Photo credit: Adam Trigg
SOPHIA TO JOIN CAST OF ‘SEE YOU IN COURT!’
January 2020
Sophia is to join the cast of Aberdeen Performing Arts’ (APA) & Ten Feet Tall’s co-production of ‘See You In Court!’ as Clerk Sheete, Annie Emslie, Thomas Mitchell & Dr. William Reid.
Based on the true events of the murder trial of Robert Smith in 1893, the adaptation of ‘The Stonehaven Tragedy’ will be part of the programming of Aberdeen’s Granite Noir.
Directed by Cameron Mowat, ‘See You In Court!’ will run for 5 performances over 21st & 22nd February 2020.
Photo credit: Mark Wood
YOUNG VIC / CITWP REHEARSED READING
November 2019
In a joint collaboration between Young Vic resident company ‘Crying in the Wilderness Productions (CITWP)’, Honey-Tongued Theatre Productions and Tena Štivičić - Sophia joined the cast of ‘INVISIBLE’ as Sera and Louise.
‘Invisible’ was written by Tena Štivičić and directed by Paul Anthony Morris.
Photo Credit: Semsem Kuheri
SOPHIA TO REPRISE ROLE IN FINAL INSTALLMENT OF EUROPEAN TRILOGY PRODUCTION
September 2019
Sophia is to join the cast of ‘Die Letzten Tage der Menschheit’ as Alice Schalek in the final German remount of international project ‘The Last Days of Mankind’ in Bielefeld, Germany.
A collaboration between Leith Theatre, Scotland; Teatr A Part, Poland and Theaterlabor Bielefeld, Germany - the reworked German language physical theatre production will debut on Germany Unity Day in October and run for 3 performances.
The project is co-funded by Creative Europe & Creative Scotland.
Performances will be on 3rd - 5th October 2019.
Photo Credit: Douglas Robertson
BRISTOL 24/7 REVIEW FOR ‘MOBY-DICK’
August 2019
Tobacco Factory Theatre Bristol & Darkstuff’s 16 show sold-out run of ‘Moby Dick’ has been reviewed by Bristol 24/ 7’s Gaby Spiro:
“Second to its location, the production’s main hook is the enigmatic, unsettled and frankly mesmerising Captain Ahab, played expertly by Sophia McLean. Consumed by revenge and driven by arrogant superiority, Ahab leads his men blindly towards the whale. The story is hauntingly reminiscent of current environmental debate: man’s belief in his unassailability extends out from Moby Dick into the audience. Yet we pity Ahab. He is the result of a seafaring life, not at fault for his monomania. The moral lines in Moby Dick are as blurred as the ship’s windows.”
SOPHIA TO JOIN CAST OF ‘MOBY-DICK’ IN BRISTOL
July 2019
Sophia is to join the cast of Tobacco Factory Theatre Bristol and Darkstuff’s adaptation of ‘Moby-Dick’ as Captain Ahab.
Directed by Alison Farina, ‘Moby-Dick’ will run in Bristol on the SS Great Britain, from 18th - 26th August 2019.
MACBETH WINS AT THE NEW YORK RADIO AWARDS 2019
June 2019
Almost Tangible’s production of ‘Macbeth’, where Sophia plays the Porter & Weird Sister, has swept up all 4 awards it was nominated for at the New York Radio Awards;
including: ‘Best Drama Podcast’, ‘Best Sound Design’, ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Digital Drama’, picking up a further 2 awards for ‘Production Company of the Year’ and the Overall Grand Award.
THE HERALD SCOTTISH CULTURE AWARDS 2019
June 2019
The cast of Perth Theatre’s ‘Lost at Sea’ - including Sophia McLean who played Shona - have been nominated for ‘Outstanding Dramatic Performance’ at The Herald’s Scottish Culture Awards 2019, due to take place on 11th July at the Corn Exchange, Edinburgh.
CRITICS’ AWARDS FOR THEATRE IN SCOTLAND
June 2019
Nominated for Best Sound (Pippa Murphy), Best Ensemble (The Cast), Best Director (Ian Brown) and Best Design (Karen Tennent & Katharine Williams); The cast of Perth Theatre’s ‘Lost at Sea’ picked up the award for ‘Best Ensemble’ and Ian Brown picked up ‘Best Director’ at the CATS Awards 2019.
SOPHIA APPEARS IN ‘THE LAST DAYS OF MANKIND’ IN POLAND
June 2019
Sophia is reprising her role as the war correspondent Alice Schalek in Karl Kraus’ WWI satire ‘The Last Days of Mankind’ in Katowice, Poland. The remount of Leith Theatre’s armistice production in November, Polish production company Teatr A Part will present ‘Ostatnie Dni Ludzkosci’, a cut-down trilingual version of the production, interchangeably mixing Polish, English and German text with physical theatre.
The production draws companies from Poland, Ukraine, Scotland, Serbia, Germany and France; with music led by band, ‘The Tiger Lillies’.
Performances will be in Katowice, 10th & 11th June 2019.
Photo Credit: Douglas Robertson
SOPHIA TO JOIN CAST OF ‘LOST AT SEA’ FOR WORLD PREMIERE AND NO. 1 TOUR
March 2019
Sophia is to join the cast of Perth Theatre’s ‘Lost at Sea’ as the young journalist Shona, who comes home to uncover the truth on her fisherman father’s death.
Written by Morna Young as a fictious tribute to the loss of her own father, the play spans 40 years of the fishing industry with Ian Brown (Bondagers, Traverse Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse) at the helm.
Sophia joins Tam Dean Burn, Jennifer Black, Gerry Mulgrew, Andy Clark, Helen McAlpine, Ali Craig, Kim Gerard and Thoren Ferguson to make up a nine-strong cast.
‘Lost at Sea’ will make it’s world premiere at Perth Theatre from Thursday 25th April - Saturday 4 May before touring to Dundee Rep Theatre (Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 May), His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (Thursday 9 until Saturday 11 May), Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock (Tuesday 14 May), Eden Court, Inverness (Thursday 16 until Saturday 18 May), Kings Theatre, Edinburgh (Monday 20 until Wednesday 22 May) and D&G Arts Festival, Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries (Friday 24 May).