story performances

We offer a selection of top-quality tellings, with music and song, of stories from all over the world for different age groups. Each is a one-hour performance for up to 250 children that can be used as a springboard for literacy or cross-curricular work.

These are compelling experiences that allow children of all abilities to experience the power of their imaginations by becoming immersed in an extended narrative. Teachers tell us how valuable it is for normally restless children to focus on listening and imagining for a whole hour, not because they have been told to, but because they find they enjoy it.

Performance space: A hall or room with space for the all children to sit.

Timetable: One or two, one-hour performances, each for up to 250 students.

Cost: State schools, grant-subsidised price: £230 for one performance, £350 for two.

Private schools or commercial bookings: £300 for one performance, £400 for two.

The stories

• Arthurian legends: Gawain (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)
• Oxfordshire legends: Wayland Smithy (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)
• Oxfordshire legends: City myths (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)
• Greek myths: Creation (KS 2, 3, 4)
• Solomon and Sheba (KS 2, 3, 4)
• Tales To Sing And Move To (KS 1, 2)
• Tales of India: The Ramayana
• World tales (KS 1, 2 or KS 3, 4)

About the stories

Arthurian legends: Gawain (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)

Lively tellings, with English folksong and music, of two of the most celebrated Arthurian legends: The Green Knight and The Loathly Lady. Both offer a magnificent mix of myth and metaphor as the perfectly gallant Sir Gawain struggles with his mysterious quests to serve his king. (Both tales are available for further study in the original text and as modern retellings.)

Oxfordshire legends: Wayland Smithy (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)

Between Oxford and Swindon, in the Vale of White Horse, lies a cave called Wayland Smithy, named after the Norse blacksmith god whose epic tale of love and loss dates back to the Viking invasions. The performance includes music on lyre, drum and flute and fragments of the original Icelandic text.

Oxfordshire legends: City myths (Year 2 and KS 2, 3, 4)

Some of the founding myths and legends of Oxford city, featuring screaming dragons, miraculous maidens and rioting townsfolk. Stories of St Frideswide and the Oxford riots follow the ancient Welsh legend from the Mabinogian of King Lludd’s journey to the heart of the island of Britain, where he found and tamed two dragons. Told with music and song, the show uses mandolin, flute and singing bowls.

Greek myths: Creation (KS 2, 3, 4)

Revisit the amazing creation myths of the Ancient Greeks in a roller-coaster retelling of the tragic and comic beginnings of gods and men. Cronus, Zeus and all his children combine into a family with some serious issues.

Solomon and Sheba (KS 2, 3, 4)

This magnificent epic tale of quests, riddles and love has haunted Western culture for millennia. It appears in the Old Testament, the Qura’an and the folklore of Europe, Africa and Asia. In this version, various sources are combined and contrasted as we explore the myths and mysteries of the pagan queen from the south as she confronts Solomon in his glory.

Tales To Sing And Move To (KS 1, 2 for storytelling practice)

Singing, moving and other forms of joining in help young children to enjoy stories. These magical tales from many countries include many different opportunities for participation. The performance is designed to show teachers different methods for involving children in storytelling and helps older children learn how to tell stories themselves.

World tales (KS 1, 2 or KS 3, 4)

Celebrate the countries and cultures of the world with a medley of stories from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe, served up with music and song. Separate shows are available for KS 1 and 2 or KS 3 and 4.