Last weekend I got to tell stories inside my very own enchanted toy theatre made by gorgeous fairytale illustrator Jane Ray. It was all part of the pick and mix magic of the Pop Up Festival of Stories. (Big thanks to Jen Farrant, who took these photos in the Royal Opera House building in Thurrock.)
Pop Up Festiva (brainchild of director Dylan Calder) has met with literally thousands of families in its three venues this year – Thurrock, Essex… Swiss Cottage North London… and the Ironbridge Museum of Enginuity in Shropshire…
…As well as the mythical theatres, the 2014 festival featured an incredible array of creative workshops and imagination-igniting experiences. Visitors interacted with dozens of poets, authors, artists and musicians as well as two of my absolute favourite storytellers: Rich Silvester and Usifu Jalloh. When I wasn’t watching them, I was glued to James Mayhew (who painted and told stories at the same time) or hanging out in the Spookatorium, a gothic shop full of bizarre merchandise created by evil genius Chris Mould.
Pic below of Shropshire © Patrick Boyd.
Jane and a small artist:
