top of page
Projects
What I've been up to...
I am proud of every project that I’ve created and been a part of. Each one has had a prominent role in my career and have been enjoyed by participants, audiences and readers of all ages and backgrounds. I'm currently an Associate Artist with Drama AND SOME cic in Sandwell.
Some of my previous projects are below...
Stand By Your Nan has been a real progression of poetry, storytelling and audience participation. Before the pandemic I had a wonderful run of arts centres and festivals culminating in appearances at Birmingham Comedy Festival 'Top Ten Picks' and Funny Things Festival in Wolverhampton. Currently in the process of developing a podcast, watch this space for more news. Stand by Your Nan was piloted, toured and supported by Arts Council England.
For the past decade, I have been gigging as a poet and a comic. I also love working with children and have been Artist in Residence for Spine Festival with Apples and Snakes, a Discover Arts Award practitioner and Creative Partnerships worker. The Strangest Sandwich in the World was a children's collection of poetry longlisted for the CLiPPA award in 2016. I toured the comedy children's show to Sutton Theatres, Edinburgh Fringe and Winchester Children's Book Festival and have performed children's comedy at Laughing Sole and Stroud Fringe.
Since taking a course with the inimitable Mrs Barbara Nice and brilliant Brummie James Cook back in 2003 I have been gigging as a stand up comic, as myself and character Carol King. I retired Carol in 2005 after reaching the finals of the Birmingham New Act award and Laughing Horse Big Big Big new act award. I returned to the circuit after a hiatus in 2010, hosting my comedy night Laffacino, and gigged nationally from Buddhafield Festival to Scarborough. Highlights include being semi finalist of the Nearly New Comedian of the Year comp 2017 and 2018, finalist as writer/performer in the Sitcom Trials 2016 and One To Watch Funny Women 2018. But my finest hours have been doing solo shows at Edinburgh Fringe, Leicester Comedy Festival, Brighton Fringe, Funny Things Wolverhampton and Birmingham Comedy Festivals. I've also been broadcast in comedy writing for sketches, BBC Radio 5live and BBC's Newsjack.
Since 2001 I've been running workshops to inspire creativity, include and empower others to embrace their own creative abilities. I won the Sutton Culture Award in 2016 for work on the Imagine Festival and ran the inclusive open mic Words Aloud at Sutton library from 2013 to 2019. I have taught children to older adults and currently teach over 60s at HCA in Holborn. My specialty is finding ways anyone can write and have visited schools and community settings to share my work and inspire others to explore their own. A learner centred teacher, I adapt everything I do for the workshop I'm running to make it accessible and challenging for all levels. Get in touch if you want to book me!
Currently working on novels in progress I completed my first novel 'I am Amber May' after taking the Writing a Novel course at the Faber Academy.
Previous publications include:
2020 Harpy by Palewell Press, Laughing behind the mask, an essay in Lockdown anthology with Palewell Press. 2019 Poems in Shoreline of Infinity magazine 2018 Winner City of Stories Merton, published in City of Stories anthology (Spread the Word) Stand By Your Nan poetry and memoir collection2017 Newsjack BBC Radio (and 2012, 2014) 2016 Strangest Sandwich in the World poetry for children, longlisted CLiPPA AwardNot in the plan anthology, poetry. 2014 Handbook Stepping Stones (non fic) Contact a Family2006-2013 Sketches, poetry, scripts produced for Zubox Internet TV, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, BBC radio, Swan Theatre Worcester and solo shows at many festivals.
bottom of page