Astrid Hilne Storyteller
Participatory Performance Projects
I deliver and manage bold, creative and bespoke participatory performance inspired experiences, for all ages, both in person and online.
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Participatory arts are by their very nature collaborative. The professional skills of the artist combine with the creative energy of the participants to produce an event or an experience that is in many ways more than the sum of its parts.
Arts Council England, Adult Participatory Arts Review, 2010.
Families
I have been creating interactive, participatory and sensory performance events for family audiences since 2002, in applied theatre settings, working with professional participatory performance practitioners. My aims are to engage families in a joyful learning experience to help them make connections between their own stories and the stories around them. Important factors are a sense of creative collaboration and shared ownership between audiences and practitioners. I look to create space for families to share their ideas and deliver their own content within and around the activity. I am proud to have been part of the development of the participatory performance programme for the V&A Museums, since 2011. In 2019, I created a promenade performance, inspired by the Victoria and Albert bicentennial, which encouraged families to be playful and explore invention, in response to the architecture and history of the V&A, South Kensington. In 2020, I produced a new workshop performance with Talawa Theatre company, highlighting the stories of performers of African heritage in the V&A collections and contributed to new website content for families. In 2021, I have helped to develop new online performance workshops for families, including The Nonsense Museum, which encourage families to laugh and be imaginative in response to objects in the museum.
In 2022, I have been working in collaboration with Gunnersbury Museum on outdoor workshops in Gunnersbury Park.
Wild and Wonderful Creations | Gunnersbury (visitgunnersbury.org)
Photo: V&A Families, Pop-up Performance, A Queen, her Prince and a Dog called Jim. © Victoria and Albert Museum.
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Early Years
Since 1999, I have specialised in drama and art participatory sessions for the under-fives in formal and informal settings; for diverse organisations, from nurseries, libraries, theatres and museums such as The National Gallery, V&A Museum and the Polka Theatre. I am a firm advocate of the benefits of participatory family learning for early years, the joy of learning through play and the importance of agency within delivery to help create confident learners. A typical session may include gentle pretend play, song and dance, interactive sensory storytelling and will adhere to Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework guidelines.
Some of my favourite early years' projects include: for the Society of London Theatres and the Theatre Museum, I co-wrote and directed a musical promenade production, Mini Musicals goes Wild, inspired by jungle stories, for early years and their families, following a successful workshop programme, inspired by West End Musicals, for 3-7 year olds and their families; for Hounslow Libraries, I devised and delivered weekly Rhymetime and Storytime sessions for the under-fives and their parents / carers and facilitated visits from nursery groups, at Chiswick Library, with drama based games to introduce children to the library service and reading; a new early years' resource for the V&A Museum, South Kensington, developed in consultation with local Children's Centres and family visitors, inspired by the picture book: Clara Button and the Magical Hat Day. I delivered Early Years Digital Makerspacer events exploring model theatres and treasure boxes, inspired by the Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser - Exhibition at South Kensington · V&A (vam.ac.uk), in collaboration with V&A Families and the University of Sheffield.
The Museum of London's Early Years Toolkit has published a case study, co-written by me, on Festive Play sessions, for families with under-fives, at the V&A Museum, South Kensington. I devised this programme, inspired by the V&A's William Morris picture book on the 12 Days of Christmas and trained Visitor Service staff to deliver the sessions. Read all about it through the link below. I currently manage Little Flamingos Early Years sessions for Gunnersbury Park Museum.
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Photo: V&A Families, V&A · Early Years Festive Play
Community and Adult Learning
My community work is founded in collaborative working, with participants leading on creativity and invention, inspired by their interests, ideas and experiences. It is founded in the importance of accessibility and inclusivity and my work has included those SEND and home education groups. Skills sharing and training has often been an integral part of the process. I have also had the opportunity to mentor participants, staff and volunteers.
Highlights, for me, include: for West Sussex County, I led a theatre arts training touring production for adults, in performing, directing and designing; for the Theatre Museum, bespoke intergenerational theatre and costume workshops with the Soho community group; devising mixed media musical theatre and pantomime productions with disabled adults, for the Tower Project, in East London and The Peacemaker, a unique performance for Refugee Week 2018, in the V&A galleries, created with families and young people from the Somali Integration and Development Association (SIDA).
In 2020, I was a community writer for Spare Tyre Theatre company, as part of the Signal Fires initiative, co-writing a 3 minute play about experiences of living with someone who was shielding, called Granny and the Virus. More details about this project are in the link below. In 2021, I was part of an ongoing project with Spare Tyre, called Statues for the Unforgotten. Currently, I am creative producer for a deaf-led performance project being developed with the V&A, for autumn 2022.
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Photo: Tower Project Community Theatre Production, 2012.
Schools, Young People and Higher Education
I have directed and produced Young People's Theatre since 1989, facilitating a diverse range of work, from one-off events, site-specific productions to street theatre. My main focus is on devised ensemble work, understanding process and practice, whilst developing professional theatre skills including: design, directing, writing, technical and performance. I often collaborate with other professional participatory performance practitioners, as well as artists and theatre companies. My areas of interest include: physical theatre, political and forum theatre, puppetry, multi-media and visual theatre. Organisations I have delivered young people's projects for include: Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex County, Bridewell Theatre, Bath Theatre Royal, the V&A, and Polka Theatre.
My work with schools began in the 90s as a professional practitioner and later as a trained teacher. I aim to make the theory and practice of theatre accessible to everyone and teach the curriculum in context of theatre history and contemporary performance. I have taught in primary and secondary schools, GCSE, A'Level and BTEC Drama and Performing Arts in schools across the UK. I have led on school community events, extra curricular activities, directed and consulted on school productions. In primary schools I have delivered storytelling and 'in role' sessions to engage students in cultural events as well as the curriculum. I have also delivered CPD session for teachers and created education packs for teachers of all key stages. Since 2021, I have been leading drama inspired workshops for primary schools at Gunnersbury Park Museum (see link below). Other organisations I have delivered schools' workshops and events for include: the Royal National Theatre, West Sussex County, the Polka Theatre, FieryLight Productions and the V&A. Schools I have worked closely with include: the William Hogarth Primary School, the International School of London, Notting Hill & Ealing High School in London and Clifton High School in Bristol.
Further training and Higher education work includes: collaborations with Wimbledon School of Art and Westminster Kingsway College, bridging theatre design and applied theatre practice and guest director at Athens University Ohio, USA. I share my practice, encourage risk-taking and innovative choices.
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Photo: Lights Alive Youth Theatre, The Supremes and the Civil Rights Movement, Theatre & Performance, V&A, South Kensington, 2008.
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