MARK FRASER.
STORYTELLER
NEWS
February - December 2023
Wow! So busy I rarely get a chance to update this page. Christmas was great and so good we are doing it all again this year. Only this time we have the Santa experience at Stratford, Leamington and Leicester. But we also have chilling tales, right up my street, Christmas tales to make you shiver.
Summer was excellent, lots of festivals all over the UK. Next year is nearly full again and I will hit the road in the new, not so new van. I have a new element that I will be working on over the winter and trialling at Christmas, if it works it will be out with me in the summer. Watch this space... or facebook/instagram as they update more frequently.
Schools are going down a storm, I was a prize in a festival, Gate to Southwell, where local schools could decorate their school gates and win a half day of me telling stories. I went to a lovely school called Dalestorth near Sutton in Ashfield, the teachers were so lovely one wrote this afterwards. "I think that you have been one of the best prizes we could have won!" How nice is that?
New stories coming out and potentially new books. I have removed a couple from the website as I would like to do something new with them. Keep looking at Face book and Instagram you will find more updates there. Look for Mark Fraser Storyteller, and you will find me. Hopefully see you soon.
December 2022 - February 2023 News
After a busy summer at some marvelous festivals, the Autumn has been a mixture of schools, castles and Halloween. It has been very busy especially at the wonderful Bowthorpe Farm, Grimsthorpe Castle and The Tobie Norris for Halloween. I also attended Finmere Halloween, a small village in Oxfordshire that hosts a truly fantastic night of Halloween all around the houses and roads of Finmere. I was situated up a cul de sac on a green with my standard lamp and tombstone telling stories to groups as they followed the trail. What a lot of lovely people and great fun.
I have finished the twelve paintings, a selection of them are below, and I have been taking these into schools all over the UK to tell their stories. These are old versions and reimagined fairy stories that we are all familiar with through Grimm and Disney but these are far more interesting. Stronger female presence, fewer heroic princes to 'save' the day and in some cases a lot darker. The children and teachers have been magnificent, engaging with the pictures and the stories with excitement and curiosity. I hope to take this roving gallery of tales out further in 2023.
For Christmas I will be storytelling and Father Christmas at Shakespeare's School Room And Guildhall, Stratford Upon Avon. As well as storytelling at Leicester Guildhall and Reading Arts Centre. A busy Christmas. I have written a new small book just for them to hand out as a token gift for Christmas.
Dates for NewYear -
28th Jan - 5th Feb - National Storytelling Week
2nd March - World Book Day
20th March - World Storytelling Day
April 27th - Tell a Story Day
Get in touch if you would like a professional storyteller at your School or event.
As for festivals 2023 is almost full just a few weekends to fill, this will be even more exciting with new stories and workshops. You could find yourself a storytelling to an audience. I will help you with that!
WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT MARK FRASER, STORYTELLER.
2023
Greenman - Amazing Storyteller! when is he coming back?
Secret Garden Party - "I was having an overwhelming moment, your stories calmed and invigorated me, thank you." Claire with the lovely sparkly hat.
End of the Road - "our favourite thing..." Seb and his parents.
Dubbed Out - "The children have demanded we request the return of Jacob Cracker"
Gordon Whyte, singer songwriter - Towersey Festival - The Juggler and the Storyteller song You Tube.
Finula - Bowthorpe Farm - The Storyteller was brilliant, he had my 6 month old nephew completely mesmerised the whoile time.
Busy Tots - Thank you Bowthorpe Farm and Walk the Lines for making today special for us
Chilled In A Field Festival 2019
'My children and I love the traditional storyteller'
'My children loved the storyteller and wanted to be at the tent for every story. He was just fantastic'
"2019 was the first time we have had Mark Fraser Storyteller in our fields and woodland and we are hooked! His energy, his engagement with the story and his costumes are just fantastic. Most importantly, our guests loved him too! So much so that some feedback directly asks for him to come back, and we sincerely hope this will happen for 2020!
It was superb to see the faces of kids and adults as they listened to his wonderful stories and to hear the chattering discussions afterwards with characters being mimicked.
Mark's enthusiasm, professionalism and shared ethos made him a joy to work with. When we suddenly had to switch the schedule about to put our wet weather plan in place he was more than happy to accommodate the changes. It was superb to work with him."
Festival Kidz Review Alfresco Festival 2017 - The storytellers were amazing and enthralled the children – I would go back to Alfresco just to see them again... The storytellers were brilliant – and the children were happy to go and watch them again and again. The last stories of the day were evening ‘spooky stories’
Cornwall Live 2017 - Rock Oyster Festival 2017. - Children under 12 go free and there was plenty for them to enjoy, storytelling from raconteur extraordinaire, Mark Fraser.
Jason Manford - Underneath the Stars Festival 2017 - I can't believe you kept my three girls enthralled for over half an hour with your stories, I'll take tips from you anytime! All the best and I will look out for you next time.
Festival Kidz - Willowman - a fabulous interactive story tent called ‘Walk the Lines’ where stories were acted out
"Awesome guy,please get him back for next year, my little girl loved his stories." Looe Music Festival facebook, Sian Jenkinson
From literacy experts; "It was a joy to see the children immersed in the wonderful world of Walk the Lines." Tony Wilson - Literacy Keynote Speaker, Gate to Southwell Folk Festival
And even from kids, in the form of a letter written in their tents at night. "At Walk the Lines at least one thing is funny....Imagine a world without them!" My personal favourite, thank you Beth. aged 9.
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