Come, cross the threshold into a world of twisted, primeval (or is that primevil) fairytale and folklore, where incest, infanticide, infatuation, murder & mayhem abound. Guiding the uncontrolled passions of the night, Jan Blake journeys to somewhere a little close to the bone…

Arguably Britain’s finest female storyteller, Jan Blake performs in theatres and festivals the length and breadth of the globe. She was born in Manchester to Jamaican parents, and inspired by recordings of ‘Miss Lou’ (Louise Bennett) she came to telling stories in the mid 80s – rapidly gaining an international reputation for her witty, exhilarating performances…and she can sing. With an international repertoire, Jan also specialises in folktales from West Africa, North Africa, the Arab world and the Caribbean, and her versions of Ananse’s exploits are definitive. She has worked as an artist in residence at various theatres in England, developing particularly close links with the National Theatre (where she is the Consultant on Storytelling), the London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Deptford Albany, the Lyric theatre in Hammersmith and Battersea Arts Centre.