Tag Archives: @BeanoOfficial

Working with Rebecca Hutchins #dennis2018

You’ll remember from a very similarly titled blog about my relationship with Dan McGarry, that I met Dan through his wife Gemma, a friend from a past theatre production.  Well to explain how I know Rebecca Hutchins I must first take you back to Bromley and the summer of 2008.

In those days I was still a council temp moonlighting as a drama facilitator.  Through an organisation called Bromley Mytime I became involved in a secondary school transition project in which I ran drama workshops on a double decker bus.  Every day I would work with different groups of 11 year olds and we’d play games around the idea of using public transport safely.  There were a lot of people involved; the Police, the Bus Company and some young volunteers.  One of them was Paul Valentine, then an enthusiastic twenty something.  Paul and I stayed loosely in touch and he assisted me on some workshops before he went off to drama college.  Spin forward a decade and the producer of the same production of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland I met Gemma through recommends me and Mr Barry Evans to stage Wind in the Willows for a Cambridge University.  Its quite an undertaking with both Barry and me calling in favours from old friends to make up the cast.  Remembering Paul I rope him in as Badger and he recommends Rebecca.

Rebecca Hutchins is one half of Cat and Hutch, a children’s theatre company that use fantastic puppets to tell stories.  Watching her during the Wind in the Willows project, I was struck by her ability to work with the very youngest children (not all actors can do this so naturally) and also by her enthusiasm.  I asked her to get involved in delivering storytelling sessions for me and it turns out she is great and has had some really positive feedback from schools.  Up to this point I had only ever approached Rebecca about term time projects but due to unprecedented demand she has agreed to deliver Dennis and the Chamber of Mischief during the summer.

When I first set out to present a Beano story I had an ambitious dream that I would create a presentation which would be toured by three people; Dennis, Minnie and Gnasher if you like.  Bringing Rebecca on board we are indeed triumvirate of storytellers and we are working with some 34 library authorities between June (next week – eek!) and October – as well as libraries I’ve been visiting for five years there are a number of new ones on the list and in some instances it’ll be Dan or Rebecca who have to impress the new authority rather than me.  I am utterly thrilled that this year particularly we have a lady as part of the team and a very talented one at that who’ll no doubt bring a different dynamic to the story.  I am also pleased to be able to continue to offer younger storytellers a platform to hone their skill.

Rebecca Hutchins will be presenting Dennis and the Chamber of Mischief

@ Weymouth Library on 10th August 2018

@ Camden Libraries on 16th August 2018

@ Luton Libraries on 23rd August 2018

(Check the calendar for other dates)

Dennis and the Chamber of Mischief #dennis2018

I am pleased to announce that I will be telling Nigel Auchterlounie’s Dennis and the Chamber of Mischief this summer.  This isn’t just exciting because it’s Dennis the Menace but because it’s a brand new title being released by Beano Studios and Templar Books in May 2018 and they are entrusting it to me.

Below is a list of presentations which includes libraries and literature festivals.  The eagle eyed will notice that this year I’ll be doing a full week in London with further dates in the East Midlands and more work than ever in the North West.

I am also pleased to announce that Joseph Attenborough will be creating another original composition for the story and I’ll be sharing a poster for the summer created by Dan White on this website soon.

We are still three months away from the first date and there is still a lot of work to be done but I’m hoping that we can deliver something very special for the summer.  To keep up to date on how I get on use the hashtag #dennis2018 when searching for the project.

The Big Malarkey in Hull –  24/6/18

Manchester Libraries – 27-28/6/18

Oldham Libraries – 4/7/18

Sefton Libraries – 5-6/7/18

Wirral Libraries – 9/7/18

St Helens Libraries – 10/7/18

Brentwood Children’s Literary Festival 2018 – 24/7/18

Thurrock Libraries – 25/7/18

Southend Libraries – 25/7/18

Derby City Libraries – 31/7/18

Redbridge Libraries – 2/8/18

Westminster Libraries – 3/8/18

Hackney Libraries – 7/8/18

Brent Libraries – 8-9/8/18

Kensington Libraries – 10/8/18

Cheshire East Libraries – 13-14/8/18

Cheshire West Libraries – 15-16/8/18

Rutland Libraries – 21/8/18

Nottingham City Libraries – 22/8/18

Luton Libraries – 23/8/18

Bexley Libraries – 28/8/18

Trafford Libraries – 15/9/18

Bolton Libraries – 6/10/18