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What’s on
Once upon a Time24 September 2026, 7am – 9amWrite and Shine, Westminster Quaker Meeting HouseTICKETSEnter the enchanted forest with Sophie Herxheimer and Sally Pomme Clayton. Together we will explore how time is experienced and portrayed in fairytales and myths, and share examples from our own work and other poets and writers who hide amongst the trees and glades. We will draw on our long conversations and collaborations on fairytales to guide you into the world of ‘Once Upon a Time’. Asking where is it? What does it look like? What does it mean? Explore fairytale images of time: on the stroke of your pens – midnight! Find lost seconds from…
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The Mighty Goddess – World Myths
“This book really shows how interlinked all the people in the world are. Our dreams come from a similar node. A must have addition to your library.” Liz Berg, Facts and Fiction ‘The Mighty Goddess – World Myths’ by Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer is a brand new collection of myths for adults. The book reimagines 52 ancient myths in poetic language, putting the goddess in the centre of the narrative, exploring the multiple ways in which goddesses are represented, creating new perspectives and contemporary literature. The book features 52 papercuts by artist and poet Sophie Herxheimer, juxtaposing the ordinary and fabulous. “No book can hit the zeitgeist more…
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Sally Pomme Clayton
“Some people are born to entertain – Sally Pomme Clayton has that magic in plenty, she is a dream-weaver, a spell-binder.” The Londonist Sally Pomme Clayton (please call her Pomme!) is a pioneering storyteller and writer creating unique performances and publications. With sparkling words, playful humour and haunting images she performs fairytales, romances, fragments of forgotten myths, witty folktales, mysterious legends and wild epics. She creates dark and gleaming stories set in strange worlds that seem strangely close. Her performances are captivating, tender, elegantly crafted and shot through with songs and unusual musical sounds. Pomme creates and performs stories for everyone, from: Soho Theatre to Northern Stage; Totally Thames to…
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Greek Myths
Sally Pomme Clayton performs stories from her collection ‘Greek Myths – stories of sun, sea and stone’ illustrated by Jane Ray (Frances Lincoln 2014). The stories are perfect for schools, families, museums, festivals and theatres. “Ten stories of sun, stone and sea, which sum up the appeal of tales set in Greece, bringing their familiar magic.” Mary Hoffman – The Book Maven “Luminously lovely.” The Times Find out how the Universe was created. Learn about the battle of the Titans. Discover how Perseus risks his life searching for the snake-haired Medusa. Find out how to tame Pegasus the flying horse. Try out some Greek words. Meet gods and goddesses. Hear how…
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Galleries and Gardens
Sally Pomme Clayton has extensive experience of creating stories with exhibitions, objects, sites and buildings. She has been working with museums, galleries and heritage organizations for more than 25 years, bringing collections, buildings, gardens and archives to life through narrative performance. She uses stories to inspire and share, create and interpret. She sees her role as guide to the imagination – taking the audience inside an object or location to reveal hidden worlds of culture, history and myth. She loves to collaborate with heritage teams and artists to create story based activities, events, performances, workshops and interactive experiences. Pomme has: created and led promenade performances through galleries and museums, heritage…
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The King with Dirty Feet
The King with Dirty Feet by Sally Pomme Clayton, illustrated by Rhiannon Sanderson (Otter-Barry Books 2021/ 2018) Winner of ‘Best Picture Book’, Oxford Book Awards 2019 The king has not had a bath for a whole year, and he is starting to smell. When the king finally bathes in the river, he can not get his feet clean. His servant Gabu has three days to rid the land of dirt and dust. Gabu sweeps, brushes, and stitches – as he tries to clean up the kingdom. This new picture book is a re-telling of an old and beloved folktale from Bangladesh. It is gentle and humorous and has a twist…
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Girls and Goddesses – the heroine in myth and fairytale
Dazzling goddesses, sly princesses, lazy daughters, wilful lasses, crazed sorceresses, brave maidens and girls with answers, meet bold and gutsy heroines! In these fairytales and myths girls, goddesses and women are the protagonists of the tales. They engage in tricks and romances, face dangers and obstacles, create and undo magic spells and ultimately conquer the impossible. The stories are drawn from all over the world and celebrate the varied and unexpectedly powerful roles heroines have in traditional tales. Some are clever, some are funny, some are foolish – all are brave! “Sally Pomme Clayton delivered her performance with a beautiful delicacy, and a great deal of charisma.” ‘yoppul’ Isle of…
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Persephone
“Sally Pomme Clayton’s Persephone is deeply affecting… dramatically described in visionary pictures as well as words. “ The Times No flowers. No plants. No sunshine. When Hades carries Persephone down to the Underworld, her mother Demeter curses the Earth for hiding her. Everything stops growing and it is winter all year round. Persephone must return to Earth. But how can spring return when winter reigns? “Clayton employs vivid imagery, powerful emotions and loads of action to convey adventure, grief, love, drama and the circle of life. Dialogue is crisp and accessible, while retaining just a hint of the formality expected of gods and goddesses. A beautiful retelling of an enduring myth.” Kirkus “Sally…
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Tales told in tents – stories of Central Asia
Tales Told in Tents – Stories of Central Asia by Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer (Frances Lincoln 2004/2006) tells little known myths and fairytales evoking mountains and steppe, the Silk Road, the important role storytellers have in nomadic societies, and why stories are more valuable than gold! “A lovely book about the magic of stories told from memory….Clayton shares stories, riddles, proverbs and snatches of song…” Washington Post “These vivid reconstructions of nomad tales by a professional storyteller are beautifully illuminated by folk-like paintings, and together they give us access to some of the treasures of these lands. This is a splendid book.”Books for Keeps. Sally Pomme Clayton has been…
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The Phoenix of Persia
The Phoenix of Persia by Sally Pomme Clayton and Amin Hassanzadeh Sahrif (Tiny Owl 2019) Tells the story of baby Prince Zal born with hair as white as snow. His father rejects the baby and leaves him on a cold mountainside to die. The baby is found by the mythical Simorgh, the wise Phoenix of Persia. She brings the baby up in her nest and teaches him everything she knows, including forgiveness, so that father and son can be reunited again. Sally Pomme Clayton re-tells a traditional Iranian story taken from the Shahnameh, written more than a thousand years ago. ‘With acceptance at its heart, Sally Pomme Clayton’s telling really does feel…
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Publications
The Mighty Goddess- World Myths by Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer (The History Press 2023) This stunning collection brings together over 50 goddess myths from across the globe: familiar, unknown, forgotten – spectacular! Pioneering storyteller Sally Pomme Clayton revitalizes powerful goddesses creating new perspectives from ancient myths. Journey from Alaska to Mesopotamia, ancient Rome to Tibet. The book features paper-cuts by artist Sophie Herxheimer, juxtaposing the ordinary and fabulous. Follow the goddess from creator to crone. The Mighty Goddess reimagines myths in poetic language, putting the goddess in the centre of the narrative, exploring the many ways in which goddesses are represented. Words and images delight and subvert, revelling in the female,…
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Stories to build bridges
Stories to build bridges uses storytelling techniques to share the stories of asylum seekers and refugees. Sally Pomme Clayton has been developing Stories to Build Bridges since 2007 working with Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers to value the traditions, languages, and culture of refugees. Stories to Build Bridges fosters oral traditions and encourages understanding between different faiths, languages, cultures and local communities. It gives value to refugees’ languages and heritage of stories, encouraging people to share and tell their stories. It passes on storytelling skills, and creates an atmosphere where people can value and share each others traditions. The project believes that stories can develop and foster dialogue, and build bridges across cultural, linguistic and…
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Mythic Imagination
The imagination is boundless – find creative flow, connect with the wealth of images inside you.Mythic Imagination – a six week creative writing courseThursdays 6.00 pm – 7.30pm – March 13; March 20; March 27; April 3; April 10; April 17 2025South London Theatre, 2A Norwood High Street, West Norwood, London SE27 9NSTICKETS and more infoOver six weeks we will explore some of the vivid and lasting images found in fairytales, myths and legends and use them as starting points for our own creative writing. Pomme will guide you through playful and creative tasks and guided prompts. Each session will draw on a variety of sources to inspire your creativity: images in myths; fairytale settings and…
