Side FX

Katie Paterson

KATIE PATERSON is a theatremaker pursuing a PhD at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Her practice is informed by a queer feminist concern with lived experience, comedy, and the audience relationship. Her theatre work has been shown at the Barbican, Pleasance, Camden People’s Theatre, Theatre Deli, Theatre503, Edinburgh Fringe, Maiden Speech and Waitress Festivals. Katie has given papers on her doctoral research at the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, and TaPRA. Katie's research is supported by the Guildhall Arts and Health Studentship.

As writer-performer, her work includes solo show Minor Disruptions, which explored the queerness of childhood through dead hamsters, a drag tribute to Miss Trunchbull and a total failure to learn to juggle, despite the best efforts of many kind audience members, and Game Face, a gig-theatre collaboration about body image and beauty myths which toured to Auckland, New Zealand at the beginning of 2020.

Other work includes assistant producer for Damsel Productions (The Amber Trap), facilitation work with refugees and schoolchildren, performing with Forbear! Theatre (Iolanthe, The Sorcerer) and The Willmore Singers (Twelfth Night), and various short films.

Joining the Side FX team is LEXI CLARE, a queer theatre-maker and producer who founded the Maiden Speech festival, and CHAZ WEBB, a Bristol-based stage manager and production manager with extensive touring credits and a passion for immersive theatre.

Press & Reviews

Audience Feedback
‘I feel challenged by what I simply do, what I know about what I am putting in my body without question, and by how the effects are normalised or ignored.’
‘The manic largeness/hyper pace really does seem to capture the surreal experiences of being a woman trying to navigate what's happening in her body in these contexts’
‘I love the variety in this piece, it gives it a beautiful female life force’

Praise for Previous Work
“The relatability of the piece is so powerful and so painful that it is almost too hard to stomach. And yet, Lexi Clare, Lucy Park and Katie Paterson, in their performances, create an atmosphere of understanding and comfort.” 
Steph Hartland


‘This is a joyous 45 minutes that breaks the conventions of tradition theatre, and does not attempt to hit the audience over the head with a message but allows the piece to be completely open in this series of minor disruptions.’
Within Her Words
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“Hilarious from the start, Katie Paterson is instantly likeable and draws you in with her expressive face and comic timing. She entertains and moves us at the same time…If you want to have your spirits lifted, I recommend you spend half an hour with Katie Paterson!”
London Pub Theatres
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Cast & Creative Team Writer Performer: KATIE PATERSON
Associate Producer: LEXI CLARE
Stage Manager: CHAZ WEBB
Associate Director: JESSICA DALTON
Lighting Designer: TOM TURNER