Astrid Hilne Storyteller
Storytelling
What I do
My storytelling is performance based and character led.
I tell stories from new and different points of view to reveal hidden perspectives and provide fresh interpretations. I play with games, songs and drama techniques to explore ideas with participants and to improvise based on their suggestions, so each storytelling is unique.
I specialise in creating site specific stories and I am inspired by the environment, animals, history, world culture.
I also like bringing books to life and reimagining traditional tales. One of my favourite things to do is finding out about the stories people like and creating shared experiences from their ideas.
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Photo: The Steam Monster, storytelling at the London Museum of Water and Steam, 2016.
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Where I do it
Organisations that I have designed and delivered storytelling and participatory performances for families and in schools include:
Chiswick House and Gardens, The National Gallery, New Orleans House, V&A Museum, Chickenshed Theatre, Harrow Libraries, London Museum of Water and Steam, Asia House, Brent Libraries, Hounslow Libraries, Schools and Outdoor Festivals, Boston Manor House, Hackney Library, Watts Gallery, Kenwood House, Polka Theatre: Merton Libraries & Schools, Hammersmith & Fulham and Ealing Schools, The Handel House Museum, Barbican Library, Theatre Museum, Tower Project, Theatre Royal Bath, Royal National Theatre and the Society of London Theatres.
Most recently, I have been telling stories for Little Flamingos sessions, at Gunnersbury Museum. Many of these sessions are outside and focus on exploring and enjoying being outdoors.
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Photo: Storytime, Chiswick Library, 2015.
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Stories in Repertoire
For sharing and taking part
I would love to create a bespoke event with you but I also have some favourite storytelling sessions, ready to share with you.
The following are available for live sessions, outside or inside, safely at your venue (when permitted) or online, live via Zoom or a pre-recorded video, with captions, audio description and transcripts if required.
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Myth Busters
St George and the Dragon – Become reporters and explorers and solve the mystery of the legend of George and the Dragon. What is fact and what is fiction? You decide. With a documentary / drama news presentation round-up finale. Suitable for all ages.
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Pied Piper – Another myth busting mission for intrepid reporters. Discover the myths and truths behind the legend of the mysterious Pied Piper and uncover a very contemporary and relevant story about poverty and migration in Medieval Europe. Best for ages 9 and above.
Shakespeare for everyone
Magical Mayhem – Meet Puck and Titania from Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. Become magical creatures and help Puck trick Titania into falling in love with a donkey. Suitable for all ages.
Traditional Tales and Fairy Stories
The Snake Chief - a traditional Zulu tale from South Africa. A magical tale of love and survival. Who is the mysterious snake snake and why is he following Nandi? Nandi has to choose between food and her daughter. What will she decide? An African Beauty and the Beast story. Suitable for all ages.
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The Hidden Moon - an English folk tale reworked. We are all villagers gathered together for a meeting to talk the moon's disappearance and what to do about it. Solve the mystery with interviews with key witnesses, a journey to the boglands to discover what has become of the moon and why. Suitable for ages 7 and above.
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Baba Yaga the Witch – Meet Wilma, a very respectable, polite witch and then look again as she transforms into Baba Yaga, a wild witch, who has a story to tell about night and day and the coming of winter; her house in the middle of the woods that dances on chicken legs and how she was tricked out of her dinner by her cat, a dog and a young girl. Best for ages 7 and above.
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The Snow Queen - experience Hans Christian Andersen's epic tale from the point of view of the villain of the piece - the Queen herself. A magical Christmas story and a tale of friendship, growing up, love and loneliness. Suitable for 7 and above.
Animal Stories
The Sheep Story – A story about 2 shepherds and their sheep, across the course of the year, through the seasons, inspired by a painting by Paul Rubens. Story highlights include Pan, the god of nature, having a party in the woods, turnip munching sheep and a mysterious wolf.
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The Bunny Adventure– Join the rabbits, chickens and other animals on the farm as they search for a bunny in hiding. Celebrate animals, nature and the joys of spring, with song, dance and lots of jumping.
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Saidi the Elephant and Chiswick House - Go on a journey with Saidi the Elephant from rainforests of India to the gardens of London. The true story about the 6th Duke of Devonshire's menagerie of animals from around the world and an imagined story of an adventurous monkey who brought the spirit of the wild to leafy West London. Suitable for all ages.
On the spot stories
You give me a character, object or theme and using drama and storytelling techniques, we will invent, discover and make a story together.
What they are saying...
Astrid worked at Chiswick Library from November 2014 – January 2017. Each week during School term times, Astrid organized and run two groups for under 5’s - Rhymetime and Storytime. The children loved them with singing, stories and even dressing up in characters for the story telling. Astrid was a hardworking, enthusiastic member of our team and it was a pleasure to work with her.
Mrs J Beagley
Library Supervisor, Chiswick Library, London
Thanks to Astrid, from the Polka Theatre, for the wonderful storytelling workshop she did with our children on 'Around the World'. She held the children's attention and it was an amazing adventure pitched at the right level.
The children have never stopped talking about it.
Suzann Poletyllo
Clowns Nursery, London.
I wanted to say a big thank you for providing us with this lovely storytelling event for invited school classes.
Thank you Astrid for some delightful storytelling.