Events
WATCH: Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer talk about The Mighty Goddess at Watkins Bookshop
The Bog King’s Daughter – created for The Hans Christian Andersen Story Centre, New York.
The Little Mermaid – created for the Hans Christian Andersen Story Centre, New York
Storytelling Synchronicity – storytellers Katy Cawkwell, Pomme Clayton, Hugh Lupton, Emily Hennessy, Rebecca Smart share stories about strange events that have happened as they have told stories. Hosted by Katy Cawkwell with Literature Works. Watch the film and add your own story.
READ: The Flower of Story
LISTEN:
CURRENT EVENTS:
TALES FROM THE STATUE – listen on BBC Sounds
Tales from the Statue was made with producer Arlene Gregorius in 2003 about the Hans Christian Anderson statue in New York’s Central Park. For over 40 years there has been storytelling beside this statue, started by US storyteller Diane Wolkstein. The programme interviews several tellers from the US who have performed at the statue, including Laura Simms. Diane died suddenly, doing what she loved, collecting stories. You can read more about her here. Diane has left behind a lasting legacy of stories she collected and translated. And the storytelling at the statue continues, and is now being programmed by the inspirational Laura Simms.
IN THE BEGINNING – Telling Creation Myth
9 – 14 September
Cae Mabon With Hugh Lupton, Sally Pomme Clayton and Eric Maddern
Residential, includes food and accommodation £595 This course is now SOLD OUT
The oldest stories are about how the the world began: how the sun, moon and stars, the animals, plants and landscape, and the very first people came into being. They are the founding dramas of the Earth. On this retreat we will live with the creation myths and see how they can re-energise our lives. We will look at some of the shapes and patterns they take. We will also explore the act of creation and creativity itself. We will examine some of these ancient stories, looking at their eternal patterns. We will find our own new ways to retell and remake them, perhaps with a contemporary twist, or even devise new ones to meet the needs of our changing times. Through writing and walking, imagining and speaking, drawing and observing, resting, moving and sharing we will take inspiration from these images of creation and become creators ourselves. The course is not a storytelling course, but a time outside time for the mutual exploration of the form and content of creation myths. Places on the retreat are by application, if you are interested in taking part please contact connect@caemabon.co.uk and you’ll be told how to apply.
Expeditie Ameland Storytelling Adventure
Storytelling performances and workshops
Thursday 13 November – Sunday 16 November 2025
Ameland Island, Netherlands.
Full programme here
The Flower of Story – why we need stories
Storytelling workshop for beginners
Saturday November 22 2025, 2.00pm – 5.00pm
Why do we tell stories? What is a story made of? What makes a story memorable and tellable? This workshop is for absolute beginners who would like to explore the shapes and meanings of story and learn some simple storytelling skills. In this creative workshop Pomme shares her knowledge about why folk and fairytales are so valuable to us today. She will help you discover your own heritage of stories – even if you think you don’t have one! And she will lead you through some playful, practical and creative tasks exploring: story structure; memory; visualisation and meaning, to help you develop your storytelling skills. The workshop will be fun and enabling, with lots to learn and discover. Come and find out why we need stories now. And how you can bring stories and storytelling into your life and for those around you.
Cost £40.00 plus Eventbrite fee
TICKETS
The Mighty Goddess – stories, spells, songs
Thursday 4 December 7.30 pm
Alphabetti Theatre, St James’ Blvd, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4HP
Sly, subversive, spectacular, these goddess myths are X rated and for adults only! Follow the goddess: Creator; Virgin; Lover; Warrior; Mother; Crone as Sally Pomme Clayton entwines myths and memories, spells and songs, comedy and ceremony. Meet: the Mother Goddess who fathered a child; the sisters who rule the worlds above and below; the maiden who creates the universe, and the fiery virgin who is the Phallic Mother! Enter the pine forest and receive a message from the goddess’s oracle! These feisty, feminist stories expand on Pomme’s latest book ‘The Mighty Goddess – world myths’ illustrated by Sophie Herxheimer, and the book will be on sale. Join the goddess for electrifying, soulful storytelling.
TICKETS
Death and the Warrior Maiden
Friday 5 December, 7.30pm
The Chillingham Arms, 89-91 Chillingham Rd, Heaton, Newcastle NE6 5XL
A young man is running away from Death, and a warrior woman fights on horseback, in disguise. Discover rare story gems from the Silk Road. Meet the wildest warrior woman of all, descended from Black Sea Amazons and find the place where Death does not exist. These are stories of crazed desire, wild beasts, and a woman warrior who fights to the death. And discover the only thing that will stop death – the power of stories themselves. These passionate, hilarious and unknown stories are funny, fresh, and full of contemporary relevance. The epic of Dede Korkut is known throughout Central Asia and was written down during 14th Century, but it is still traveling the Silk Road. These wonderful stories reveal the richness of Central Asian culture and the deep value placed on storytelling where stories are more valuable than gold! Tickets
24 Story Seeds – creative storytelling workshop
Saturday 6 December 10.00am – 4.00pm
Summerhill Bowling Club, Winchester Terrace, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE4 6EH
In this creative and practical workshop Pomme will explore some of the tools of the storyteller. She will draw on her idea that there are 24 story seeds just waiting for the storyteller to discover that range from genre to gestures, voice to memory, structure to meaning. Using: writing; telling; improvisation; visualisation; movement; drawing; sound; discussion and sharing we will help some of these seeds grow. This workshop can be done by beginners or experienced storytellers alike, each working to their own level of experience. Tickets.
The Mighty Goddess – stories, spells, songs
Friday 20 February 7.30 pm
Front Room, 13 Central Walk, Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1FF
Sly, subversive, spectacular, these goddess myths are X rated and for adults only! Follow the goddess: Creator; Virgin; Lover; Warrior; Mother; Crone as Sally Pomme Clayton entwines myths and memories, spells and songs, comedy and ceremony. Meet: the Mother Goddess who fathered a child; the sisters who rule the worlds above and below; the maiden who creates the universe, and the fiery virgin who is the Phallic Mother! Enter the pine forest and receive a message from the goddess’s oracle! These feisty, feminist stories expand on Pomme’s latest book ‘The Mighty Goddess – world myths’ illustrated by Sophie Herxheimer, and the book will be on sale. Join the goddess for electrifying, soulful storytelling.
TICKETS
SELECTED PAST EVENTS:
The Three Snake Leaves – Ben Haggarty Hugh Lupton, Sally Pomme Clayton, Sheema Mukherjee.
“A wonderful, intricate performance, based on tales from the Brothers Grimm, about the possibilities of redemption.” The Independent
Kings Place Saturday Jan 25 2025, 7.30pm
Cambridge Junction Wednesday Jan 29 2025, 7.30pm
Cranbourne Earth House, 13 July 2024, 19.30pm
The Cube, Bristol, Thurs 14 November 2024, 20.00pm
Front Room, Weston-Super-Mare, Sat 16 November 2024, 19.30pm
The Story Museum, Oxford, Thurs 21 November 2024, 19.30pm
Barnfield Theatre, Exeter, Friday 22 November 2024, 19.45pm
“I was spell-bound – I don’t use the word lightly.” The Times
The Mighty Goddess – stories, spells, songs
Friday 21 February 7.30 pm
Watchet Literature Festival – Words in Watchet
Backyard Theatre, Watchet, Somerset, TA23 0AZ
The Mighty Goddess
Saturday April 12, 7.30pm
Stealing Thunder StoryNights
Brigsteer Village Hall
The Mighty Goddess
Sunday April 27
Ashburton Arts Centre
The archaeology of a story – a masterclass with Sally Pomme Clayton
Saturday 26 October and Sunday 27 October 2024, 10.30 – 16.30pm
The Community Room, West Norwood Picture House and Library, London SE279JU
Find full details here.
This creative, practical masterclass workshop is for storytellers with some experience. Over the weekend, Pomme will take the group through a series of creative approaches and processes she uses to work on a story and make it her own. Pomme has distilled her long practise as a performance storyteller into ’24 Story Seeds’ – elements that range from genre to rhythm, structure to sound, dialogue to character. We will explore some of these potentials, using: writing; telling; improvisation; visualisation; movement; drawing; sound; discussion and sharing. You will break your story open, dig around in it, discover some of its treasures and work on many small parts of it.
Persephone – a story walk with secret tour
Sunday 15 September 11.00am – 12.30
West Norwood Cemetery
The Mighty Goddess – stories, spells, songs
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Saturday October 5 2024 20.00 – 21.00pm
The Boston Tea Party, 45-49 Clarence St, Cheltenham GL50 3JS
Tales of Wonder – family fairytales
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Saturday 12, Sunday 13 October 2024
The Story Shack, free sessions just drop in for a short fairytale, sessions between 10am and 2.40pm
The events are free. More info
Harvest of words – a creative writing and walking workshop
Sunday 20 October 11.00am – 12.30
West Norwood Cemetery
A creative writing walk through the autumnal gradual and beauty of West Norwood Cemetery. Pomme will suggest creative prompts to help you notice the surroundings and harvest words as we go – collecting images, histories, impressions, memories, words, fragments of stories.
Balkan Fairytale Party – Sally Pomme Clayton and The Magic Violin Trio
Sunday December 8 18.00 – 20.15
West Norwood Cemetery
The cat who played the violin – Sally Pomme Clayton with The Magic Violin
Sat July 20 2024 11.00am – 11.45am Free performance for families.
The King with Dirty Feet
Weds 24 July 14.30pm – 15.00pm
West Norwood Library and Picture House1-5 Norwood High Street, London, SE27 9JX
Free 30 minute storytelling performance – suitable for 5 year olds and upwards and their families.
The Magician’s Apprentice
Wed 20 Mar 2024 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Our Lady of the Assumption Church Hall, NG9 1AE
The Mighty Goddess – stories, spells, songs
Tue, 9 Apr 2024 19:15
Hillcrest Community Centre, Bay Vue Road, Newhaven, BN9 9LH
The Magician’s Apprentice
Friday 24 November, 19.30 – 21.30
Front Room, Weston-Super-Mare, BS23 1FF
I am so thrilled to be taking this show back to its place of origin! This show begins with a true story. I was nine years old and went to Weston-Super-Mare pier and became a magician’s apprentice! The magic went horribly wrong and I have been searching for real magic ever since. Join the fairytale quest for real magic. Tickets £10.00
The Mighty Goddess
Sunday 19 November, 14.30 -16.30
The Crick Crack Club Epic Sundays, The British Museum, Great Russell St, London, WC1B 3DG
The Mighty Goddess
Wednesday 8 November, 19:30 – 21.30
Capstone Theatre, Liverpool Hope University, 17 Shaw St, Liverpool L6 1HP
The Mighty Goddess
Friday October 27 2023, 19.00.pm Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Imagine Festival
Saturday October 28 17.00 Societaetstheater, Dresden, Imagine Festival
Meet the awe-inspiring goddess in electrifying, soulful storytelling. Info and tickets.
Death and the Maiden
Wednesday 11 October, 18.30 – 20.00
St Johns Church, Waterloo Rd, London SE1 8TY
Stories and masterclass – part of Vanessa Woolf and London Dreamtime’s new ‘Space for Storytelling’ project.
Cheltenham Literature Festival
Monday 9 October 20:30 -21:30
The Hive, Cheltenham
The Mighty Goddess is coming to Cheltenham Literature Festival as part of an event exploring the wisdom in myth and folklore. Tickets £11.00
The Magician’s Apprentice
Thursday 5 October, 19.30 – 21.30
The Story Museum, 42 Pembroke St, Oxford OX1 1BP
Pomme opens the magician’s suitcase and finds smoke, mirrors, the King of the Jinns and the greatest female magician of all!
The Magician’s Apprentice
Talliston House & Gardens, Great Dunmow, Essex Friday 28 July 2023
A secret gig, in a very special place!
The Mighty Goddess with Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer
Watkins Bookshop
Thursday 13 July 2023, 17.30
Beyond the Border
Friday 7 July – Sunday 9 July 2023 Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire (SA19 6RT)
The Mighty Goddess and The Bog King’s Daughter
The Mighty Goddess – with Sally Pomme Clayton and Sophie Herxheimer
Avant Garden Gig, Brockwell Barn, Brockwell Park
Sunday 2 July 2023 6 – 9 pm
The event Includes stories, spells poems and papercuts from The Mighty Goddess.
East Anglian Storytelling Festival
Friday 12 – Sunday 14 May 2023, Food Museum, Stowmarket.
The Mighty Goddess for adults and The Bog King’s daughter for families!
All Good Bookshop
Friday 19 May 2023 7.30pm, 35 Turnpike Lane, London N8 0EP
Book launch for The Mighty Goddess with Sophie Herxheimer, stories and spells, poems and papercutting, chat and book signing.
West Norwood Cemetery
Saturday 20 May 2023 part of ChoooseSE27 day
Persephone – a story walk.
West Horsley Place
One Thousand and One Nights with Olivia Armstrong and Sally Pomme Clayton
Take a tour through this incredible house with two storytellers and hear tales of ghosts, magic and the other world. 20 and 21 April 2023 Performance last an hour repeated at 5pm, 6.30, 8.00pm tickets here.
The White Bear King
Story – Sally Pomme Clayton / Songs – Helen Chadwick
Saturday 17 December 18.30
Exeter Custom House, Exeter, EX2 4AN
The Magician’s Apprentice
Thursday 20 October 7.00pm – 9.10pm (including an interval)
The Bloomsbury Festival at The Museum of Comedy,
The Undercroft, St Georges Church,
Bloomsbury Way, London, WC1A 2SR
In this perfect tiny theatre, with red velvet curtain explore the secret world of the magician. Tickets
The Magician’s Apprentice
Saturday 30 July 7.45
Omnibus Theatre Clapham
Crow Blood Snow
Friday 22 July 2022, 19.30
Contact marionleeper@gmail.com for tickets and address.
Cambridge
Saturday 23 July 2022, 8pm
Stapleton Farm Barn, Aylsham, Norfolk NR11 6GR
Tickets £10, email hughlupton@gmail.com to book tickets
Black as crow, red as blood, white as snow are colours seared into many fairytales summoning creation, destruction and redemption. This performance takes the audience from: sparkling creation to a bloody battle between the birds and the beasts; hints of Snow White to the terrifying Valkyries; crazed tricks to lust gone wrong; utter destruction to regeneration. 
Flowing Words – Outdoor riverside creative writing workshop.
Sunday 26 September, 11.00am- 12.30pm Wapping
Waterside Gardens, 104-106 Wapping High St, London E1W 2PR
For adults and children aged 12 upwards (children must come with an adult.) With the Thames Festival Trust. A creative writing journey using: observation; walking; the senses; memories; histories; dreams; imagination, to give voice to the River Thames and its stories. The workshop is also about helping you get into a creative flow, which allows thoughts and images to arise, so you can make your own river of words.
Once Upon A Time – How Fairytales Travel
Tuesday 18 May 2021, 11.00 – 12.00, Online
Hosted by Brent Library – Reading Friends
A performance/talk/workshop all rolled into one hour! Discover why fairytales are living literature. Sally Pomme will tell you some stories, introduce you to the idea of the oral tradition and talk about how versions of similar stories can be found across the world, and how, and perhaps why, the human imagination creates and re-creates these ancient stories. The session will end with a small creative wriitng exercises where you can explore your own memories of fairytales and what they might mean to you. Free but booking needed.
The Phoenix of Persia
Edinburgh Book Festival
August 12 10.30 am
Stories of the Simorgh, including the story from Sally Pomme’s latest book ‘The Phoenix of Persia’, and a snippet of The Conference of the Birds. The illustrator Amin Hassanzadeh Sharif will be doing special live drawing during the performance!
Mother Danube
June 7 2019, 19.30
Cutty Sark Theatre, Ground Level, Lower Hold, Greenwich.
Sally Pomme Clayton and musician Emma Clare take a magical journey across Europe evoking the River Danube. A mythical meander along the Danube listening to stories, songs and music celebrating the vibrant, histories, cultures and heritage of the river. With Olivia Armstrong evoking tales of the River Thames and the history of the Cutty Sark itself, this evening celebrates Mother River, Father River.
The Phoenix of Persia – Book Launch with Tiny Owl
May 30 2019. 14.00
The British Library
Celebrate the launch of stunning new picture book The Phoenix of Persia with a spellbinding family storytelling event from author Sally Pomme Clayton.
