ABOUT

“As a director Vadiveloo is very talented” - Cameron Woodhead, Sydney Morning Herald, 2020

“A really interesting director” - Fleur Kilpatrick, Triple R

Isabella is a Melbourne based theatre maker who works across disciplines as a theatre director, performer, devisor and creative director. She has a strong interest in the development of new, form pushing and politically engaged performance. With both settler Australian and Tamil Sri Lankan heritage, Isabella prioritises centring underrepresented stories, often working with physical and body focused practices. She also centres her practice around emotional safety and respect, cultivating a work space carefully primed for risk taking. Comfortable with both scripted and devised work, Isabella has experience making conventional, fourth wall type theatre, immersive and interactive theatre, physical theatre and live art.

She has worked with The Dig Collective, Teatro De Los Sentidos and the Australian Shakespeare Company, as well as presenting works for the Melbourne Fringe, Crack Theatre, Immerse and Village Festivals. Recent directing credits include If Needed, Repeat and Unsuckle (La Mama Theatre), Poona (Next Wave Festival) and First Stage (Melbourne Theatre Company). She was Assistant Director for Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes. In 2020 she was the recipient of the La Mama Theatre Professional Development Grant.

As an Artistic Director and Creative Director, she has worked with long-time collaborator Bonnie Leigh- Dodds to present Mudfest for the University of Melbourne Student Union, PEST Symposium for Union House Theatre and Small and Loud for Arts Centre Melbourne.

Isabella acknowledges the people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which she lives and works. This land was stolen and sovereignty was never ceded.

Qualifications:

Masters of Directing for Performance, Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, 2020

Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne, 2014

Recognition:

La Mama theatre Professional Development Grant, 2020

For Isabella’s full CV, click here