Anne Errington
Email:
anneerrington@btinternet.comBRAW network:
noLL funded:
yesBiography:
I was born in Malaya and spent the first few years of my life in North Africa, explaining my love for hot weather! My first real memory is driving through the rain and the wind to our new home in Kincardineshire: the Howe o' the Mearns. We lived on top of a hill and the wind howled through the house. I was a little girl who caught colds a lot and reading books became my favourite pastime. Visiting my granny near Edinburgh I would raid her bookshelves for the coloured Fairy Story books… played Prince's Quest …and listened to stories of fairies, ghosts and magic wells. At school I was told I imagined things!
As soon as I could I travelled: Europe, and overland to Khatmandu, where the Afganistan border closed as we arrived; Thailand, Burma, Malaya. Later, my work as an archaeologist took me to South America.
I came home and began to tell stories to my nieces and nephews, then their friends, then their parents...
In the 70s and 80s I worked in the Adventure Playground movement, helping children and young people to set up structures and environments where they could 'play'. In the 90's I went to the Jaques Lecoq School of Physical Theatre in Paris, returning to do an MA in Movement Therapy at the Laban Centre in London. This led me to working with young men in secure units and Young Offenders Institutes, and there I found myself telling stories. Back in Scotland I set up with 2 other women a small theatre company which did week long residences in schools. We used movement, shadow puppets, poems and sound to tell stories around themes, such as 'stars and space', 'woodlands' and 'seashores'.
Now I tell stories.
About writer's work:
My stories are about people and their contact with the gods. fairy folk and other supernatural beings. They come from all over the world and can come from different cultures' myths and legends or from their folklore.
I have a character Professor Renorting who is a professor of Dragonology who tells tales and describes his experiences of working with dragons.
In 2008 I appeared in the Fringe for The Scottish Story Telling Center's "Tales from an Enchanted Forest"
I often work with other artists and we use my stories as a basis for inspiring art activities.
One project was using Dumfries museum as the theme, and telling stories around its collections which then was translated into puppets, helmets, shields, banners and all put into an installation Called "Never, Never Land " using lights and chimes
Over the last few years I have been involved in projects with a historical theme.
I research historical material and the immediate setting( for the abbeys I read about monastic life of the period) and develop characters who live during that time and tell their story, or as In the John Murray Archive project I fit real people into a historical context.
Historical Projects which I have been involved in
2005 Researched history of Dumfries museum and told the museum's story.
2006 Historic Scotland - Explorer project 2006 - Glen Luce Abbey and Dundrennan Abbey.
2006 Robert the Bruce 600th Anniversary - ran drama writing workshop with a community group to produce a DVD called Bruce's People, told stories to primary school children about Bruce and his battles.
2007/8 Scottish National Library - The John Murray Archives - John Murray and his authors and "Encounter Africa"
The Taleblazers Project . I have been working with another storyteller,Tony Bonning, running storytelling workshops in Dumfries and Galloway. The aim of the project was to encourage everyone, whatever age to tell stories.
At present I am working with Nithsdale Community Learning team to encourage fathers to tell/write their stories, of a personal or local theme, to their children.
About writer's events and projects:
I am available for residencies, workshops and performances.
II am available for storytelling on most themes and will research /create stories.
My favourite themes are historical, but the environment as well.
I have worked on Historic Scotland Explorers project researching the history of two abbey's, turning it into stories , then telling them to visiting public.
In 2007/8 I researched authors from the John Murray Archives for the National Library, I then held story telling sessions at the library for all ages, also workshops, which involved storytelling and creative writing, for adults only
I have lately been working with a group of men recording stories of childhood , youth and early working days.
I like working with other artists on projects. Over the Easter I will be telling stories inspired by willow sculptures. I have also read from children's books which have inspired films (Peter Pan, The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe) and then worked with an artist helping the children to create art work.
I was part of the Scottish Storytelling Centres "Tales from an Enchanted Forest" in the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe. I do "Scarey Story" shows for schools with another storyteller.
Anne has worked with children and adults with a wide variety of additional support needs in residential (including Secure Units and Young Offenders prisons), educational and community settings.
Language:
EnglishAge groups:
5-8, 9-12, Teens, Adults
