STEEPED IN BLOOD – Macbeth Stripped Down at Globe Theatr, Neuss, De.

For a second year running, in May 2023, I was invited to perform at the wonderful Shakespeare Festival in Neuss, Germany, in a perfect wooden replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, in Germany! I know – German people are without doubt some of the coolest in the world. After great feedback from my festival debut in 2022 with “Shakespeare’s Back Stories” the wonderful festival director Maya Delinic commissioned me to create a storytelling show of a Shakespeare play. I chose Macbeth. I will be touring it in UK now so it’s got it’s own page here, complete with reviews from regional newspapers. See

THE TINKER at Vault Festival

In February 2023 I was thrilled to play the tile role in Liv Foan’s new play. Directed and produced by Liv Munk of Part Of The Main, “The Tinker” is a tense and twisting tale which deliberately leaves the audience to discuss and decide which of the three characters has been telling the truth? Photos by Clare Hannan, set & costume by Nikki Charlesworth

Shakespeare Fest, Neuss, Germany 27-29 May

This extraordinary month-long festival, celebrating the genius of Shakespeare, much of it in English, all of it in a perfect wooden replica of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, is a perfect example of what makes German people so cool!!

On 20, 21, 22 I shall be running 90min StoryMaking workshops using narrative structure analysis of Shakespeare’s Comedies and Tragedies to guide the imagining of participants. On 21st I shall also be performing “Shakespeare’s Back Stories”, a 45min show featuring the folk stories which lie behind the creation of some of the greatest plays. You’ll learn why exactly Burnham Wood comes to Dunsinane, why meat loves salt and you’ll also hear the grand old tale of Mr Fox that Benedick, in Much Ado, just assumes we all know. Well, do you?

For tickets and full programme of events go here:-

Shakespeare Festival at The Globe, Neuss

The Guardian podcast 10/12/21

Here are some events that I’ve been a part of – click on the links for more information or check out my blog where I have written about touring in India in 2016 & 2017 (see below).

In 2012 at the behest of the brilliant Jane &  Bernie Latham who founded UCAN Productions, a theatre company for young visually impaired people in Wales I worked with astonishing composer Lloyd Coleman to create a work to celebrate Disability and The Olympics for the Disability Olympiad Cymru. I suggested the story of Pheidippides, the herald, and his heroic runs to mobilise resistance to an invasion by the mighty Persian empire. Lloyd, who is hearing and sight impaired, wrote an orchestral score which was recorded by the BBC Wales Symphonia under Nicholas Collen. I created the narrative concept to which Lloyd wrote music, then, after the glorious music was completed I wrote and recorded this narration

Breaking The Wall by Lloyd Coleman & Giles Abbott

On 11th August 2016, I told the story of AO Hume, 19th century civil servant during the Raj and one of the founders of the Indian National Congress and the founder of the South London Botanical Institute at the National Portrait Gallery.

In 2016 every Wednesday at 11am from 27th July to 24th August 16, I was at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow telling Indian fairy tales to a packed audience of locals and beyond!

In 2016 I also ran a story making workshop for visually impaired children at the Telling Tales Festival at Shakespeare’s Globe. The RNIB were also involved and quite to my surprise I heard myself narrating from one of their exhibits! This experience led me to approach the Royal Society for Blind Children and throughout 2019 I worked with a group of young blind and partially sighted people teaching them storytelling skills, rhetorical speaking skills, all intended to enhance their abilities to speak for themselves, boost their confidence and enhance their employability. This work was generously supported by Arts Council England. The result? RSBC have told me they now wish to place creativity at the heart of their work with young people and they’ve asked me to help. We were going to but COVID hit. More to come…

In 2018 I was excited to be a part of the first East Anglian Storytelling Festival! I told stories, MC’d, I ran a voice workshop and sampled some rather fine ales…

2016 and we celebrated Festival at the Edge’s 25th anniversary where I ran a voice workshop.

I spent a lovely couple of days in Yorkshire back in June. First I was at York Explore taking a voice workshop and telling the Irish wonder tale Mongan’s Frenzy. Then I took the long, winding bus ride to Hebden Bridge to the Shaggy Dog Storytellers where I told Patched and Mended.

I recorded the Radio 4 Charity Appeal on behalf of the wonderful Snowdon Trust a charity set up to help disabled students in further and higher education who are working towards a professional goal. And they helped me when I did my MA in Voice Studies. Here’s how it all happened.

I perform at the Kathakar International Storytellers Festival in Delhi plus the British Council have asked me to tell stories and lead storytelling workshops in Kolkata, Chandigarh and New Delhi – all kicking off in February 2016. 13 days out in India – can’t wait!

Story Mayhem at The Imagine Children’s Festival, 2016 – an interactive (and noisy) story making workshop with visually impaired children. Read all about it on my blog!

Free African Folktale Storytelling at the William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow to celebrate there amazing exhibition of African Textiles.

Touring with a show I devised about the extraordinary explorer Richard Francis Burton called “Tongues of Flame”