What we do
Portrait is a theatre company specialising in verbatim and documentary theatre. We are Resident Theatre company the University of Kent. We make courageous and vulnerable verbatim/documentary theatre and digital work. We believe in the power of sharing stories to help create social change, working in collaboration with communities to shine a light on untold experiences.
Isabelle Defaut - Artistic Director
Isabelle trained as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1998. After this she worked as an actor for many years. She then discovered she loved telling the whole story, so she trained as a theatre director in 2017 with the directing program at the Studio Theatre in Washington DC. She completed her Masters in Theatre Making with a focus on verbatim theatre at The University of Kent, graduating with distinction in 2021. Isabelle wrote and directed ‘Stillmine’ for Portrait in 2022, ‘I am seen, are you?’ for The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury in 2023 and she also wrote and Co-directed ‘Generation FOMO’ in 2024 and the show is currently touring Kent and supported by Kent County Council. Isabelle is a member of The Writers Room, The Marlowe Theatre.
Associate Artists
Dylan Poirot Canton
Working as a performer, director and movement specialist Dylan focuses on choreography, filmmaking and writing to further his style and career. Dylan trained at Trinity Laban and with Shoreditch Youth Dance, before attending London Contemporary Dance School. After developing his practice as a director and choreographer for screen and stage, Dylan performed at Resolution festival and began sharing short music films on YouTube. He was introduced to verbatim theatre in 2023 performing in Sarah Winn’s No One Here Is Me. Dylan is Co-Director of Generation FOMO.
Daisy Orton
Daisy co-founded Portrait Theatre with Isabelle in 2020. Before this, she ran performance company, Accidental Collective for 12 years, creating and producing stage shows, outdoor work, participatory events, and scratch nights. Alongside this, she built a portfolio career that encompasses teaching in Higher Education, directing and dramaturgy, producing and project co-ordination.
Colette Robertson
Colette is an actor, theatre maker, producer and voice over artist. After studying Drama at Liverpool John Moores University Colette joined the BBC Talent Rights department engaging actors, musicians, presenters, script writers and all other contributors for radio, television and on-line productions. She returned to working in the theatre in 2020 working with Portrait Theatre for the first round of research and development for Stillmine. Colette also works with The Folkestone Performing Arts Company.
Sarah Winn
Sarah has successfully worked in theatre for over 13 Years. She trained at the Oxford School of Drama and The School of Physical Theatre. Her acting credits include The Jeweller directed by Paul Jepson, in London’s West End, and The Good Earth, Wales Millennium Centre, as well as her work with young offenders and diverse communities. She has just completed an R & D of her verbatim play, No One Here is Me, with DYCP funding from Arts Council England.
