Sharon Jacksties tells stories to audiences of adults, young people and families.
Her dynamic and versatile performances draw on stories from all over the world.
Interpreting the wisdom of traditional material for contemporary audiences, her repertoire includes tales that have rarely been heard in this country.
Tel: 01458 259553 Mob: 07881486833
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Current and Recent Projects
Artistic Director of 'Spoken World' community storytelling company, we have been funded for our third project with elderly residents in care and nursing homes. A sequel to sister projects, 'Story Share' and 'A Sense of Place', we are at last able to return to residential settings after lockdowns. Whilst focussing on isolated residents we also see our work as supporting care workers and nurturing their relationship with residents after the unprecedented conditions brought about by the pandemic.
Spoken World is also developing its work with complementary art forms to create new audiences for storytelling. Here is 'The Litter Twitter Trio,' giant animated puppets that promenade their eco-comedic interactive performances at festivals to raise awareness about plastic in our waterways and oceans. Following their sorties, the trio attracts audiences to Nature's Tales, the traditional storytelling sessions that explore our relationship with the natural world .
Another Romanian project involves supporting a group of applied storytellers. This group of psychologists, therapists and educators uses storytelling in health and educational settings and with people with special needs.
A further applied storytelling project completes its four year journey in Spring with the publication of
'The International Handbook of Therapeutic Stories and Storytelling'
This year saw the publication of my latest anthology 'Myths of Gods and Goddesses in Britain and Ireland'. It was a very different journey from my 3 folk tale collections, also published with The History Press
I am already working on my forthcoming book entitled 'The History of the World in 100 Tales'. Meanwhile, despite its book launches being curtailed by the pandemic, 'Animal Folk Tales' has been successful enough for me to have been asked to record its audiobook version. What a learning curve!
Promoting and extending its readership!
I continue to focus on Romanian projects, teaching and mentoring applied storytellers using stories in health, social and educational settings. Congratulations to 'My Name Is Courage' for getting government funding for working with children and their stories of resilience during the pandemic. As their storyteller in residence, I am working alongside visual and performing artists on this three year, nationwide venture, which will culminate in an exhibition in London. You can see me below as I start the project off with a Zoom storytelling session for schoolchildren which happened appropriately on St. Nicholas Day. This took the sad edge off my no longer being FEST (Federation of European storytelling organisations) ambassador for the UK. The termination of this new post came as a direct result of the lack of negotiations by the UK for a cultural agreement with the European Community.
My Name Is Courage
The applied storytelling handbook below is an invaluable resource. Invited to co-edit, I contributed an anthology of stories I have used in a therapeutic context and a chapter about my former practice with torture survivors .
Taking bookings for my full length shows for adults :
The heroine of this collection of rarely told Persian tales will delight listeners with her ability to triumph in the face of the impossible
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Sometimes the Other World is uncomfortably close to our own. Who then, will dare to tell its stories?