Folk Tales from the Canal Side

Stories that celebrate the real people that lived and worked on Britian’s canals. The history of Britain’s inland waterways is well documented with great feats of civil engineering by the likes of Brindley and Smeaton. But step away from the limelight into the dark world of the cut and you will find a very different story – one of ghosts and boggles, smuggling and treachery, heroism and high drama. Folk Tales from the Canal Side is a leap into that world. Gathered by professional storyteller and barge resident Ian Douglas, these stories bring alive the voices and lives of the people that lived and survived the very real world of the British canals. AUTHOR: Ian Douglas has been a professional storyteller for 22 years, working at festivals, schools and libraries across the world. His work draws upon a rich vein of British folk tales and world myths, mixed with comedic energy. Ian was the founder member of two story-based theatre companies and went on to become storyteller and theatre practitioner in residence for various organisations across the north, including ‘Northern Stage’ and ‘Live Theatre’ in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and most recently ‘Theatre by the Lake’ in Keswick. It was during this last residency that Ian created ‘Storytree’, an interactive space designed to enable people to hear, make and share story – this work has had a major impact on the arts across the North of England. 30 b/w illustrations

Author Biography

IAN DOUGLAS has been a professional storyteller for 23 years, working at festivals, schools and libraries across the world. His work draws upon a rich vein of British folk tales and world myths, mixed with comedic energy. Ian was the founder member of two story-based theatre companies and went on to become storyteller and theatre practitioner in residence for various organisations across the north, including ‘Northern Stage’ and ‘Live Theatre’ in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and most recently ‘Theatre by the Lake’ in Keswick. It was during this last residency that Ian created ‘Storytree’, an interactive space designed to enable people to hear, make and share stories – this work has had a major impact on the arts across the North of England.