This year, Ealing and Hammersmith & Fulham boroughs are paired together to work with Artists in Residence, Marika Mckennell and Milly Rolle, for SPINE Festival 2023. Below are details on how to contact participant libraries and more information about the artists. We’ll be adding to this page later in March with events that are happening during the festival.

Ealing

Website: www.ealing.gov.uk/info/201219/libraries

Sat 15 Apr – 15.00-16.00
The Wind in Willows (The true story) by Rat and Toad with Impact Theatre
“Kenneth Grahame’s classic story in an exciting, playful production!”
Ratty is staging a one-rat show of his eventful life during the period documented in ‘The Wind in the Willows’. But Toad is present and not content to remain in the audience! Despite their differences, a little kindness and compassion allows both of our heroes to learn more about each other and strengthen their friendship. Creative use of props, puppets, and actors showcase the fun and adventure as well as the mysterious, intangible beauty of this masterpiece, resulting in a performance in equal parts manic and moving!
Location: Northolt Leisure Centre Library

Sat 22 Apr – 15.00-16.00
Join K, a young person with a big hope, on their journey to spread kindness throughout the local community. Help us pack K’s Kindness Kit and share ideas about how to be kind to ourselves, to others and to the world around us. This is a fun and engaging 1 hour workshop for 5-7 year olds – using storytelling, movement, poetry and art to spark the imagination. imagination and encourage creativity. This workshop is brought to you by Artists in Residence for Apples and Snakes, Marika and Milly. We hope to see you there!
Location: Acton Library, Everyone Active, Acton Centre, High St, London W3 6NE

SPIN Show | Sat 15 Apr – 13.00-14.15 with Kenny Baraka, Güneş Güven and Stanley Iyanu
Location: Southall Library Dominion Centre and Library,112 The Green, Southall Middlesex UB2 4BQ

Hammersmith & Fullham

Website: see what’s on
Twitter: @LBHFLibraries
Facebook: @lbhflibraries
Instagram: @lbhflibraries

Events

Sat 22 Apr – 10.30-11.30
‘K’s Kindness Kit’ with Marika Mckennell and Milly Rolle
Join K, a young person with a big hope, on their journey to spread kindness throughout the local community. Help us pack K’s Kindness Kit and share ideas about how to be kind to ourselves, to others and to the world around us. This is a fun and engaging 1 hour workshop for 5-7 year olds – using storytelling, movement, poetry and art to spark imagination and encourage creativity!
Location: Shepherd’s Bush Library, 6 Wood Lane

Wed 12 Apr – 10.30-11.30
Storytelling workshop with Cat and Hutch
Join professional storytellers Cat and Hutch for a special storytelling workshop inspired by the theme of ‘Kindness’. For children aged 5 to 8 years.
Location: Fulham Library, 598 Fulham Road, London SW6 5NX

This event will also be held at 14.30-15.30 at Askew Road Library, 87/91 Askew Road London W12 9AS

SPIN Show | Sat 15 Apr – 10.30-11.15 with Stanley Iyanu, Kenny Baraka and Gayathiri Kamalakanthan
Location: Hammersmith Library, Shepherd’s Bush road, W6 7AT

Artists in Residence

Marika Mckennell

Artform: poetry/spoken word

Marika Mckennell is an award-winning playwright, poet and performer. Her work is inspired by her mixed heritage and the voices of her hometown – London.

She aims to centre stories from the margins, with passion and compassion. Marika’s work uses poetry and storytelling to highlight complexities in issues such as care and identity, drawing out nuance, and making links between past and present.

Marika is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama; she was also a Resident Artist at Round House London.

Marika’s poetry and theatre shows have been staged around the UK. Her poetry has been published in the British Journal of Psychotherapy, and she has performed around the world.

As an educator Marika facilitates creative writing workshops for organisations like Clean Break, Hoxton Hall, and Holborn Community association, working with people of all ages to inspire and empower through poetry.

Connect with Marika
Website www.marikamckennell.com
Instagram @marika_mckennell

Milly Rolle

Artform: performance/theatre/storytelling

Milly’s work spans a variety of creative strands; from directing and facilitating devised theatre-making with young people to designing workshops that promote learning and development, using creativity, for professionals. There is often a core theme of exploring how we can all become more inclusive with how we live in and view the world.

Milly also illustrates as a way of conveying ideas, capturing conversations and expressing stories.

Connect with Milly:
Website www.millyrolle.co.uk
Instagram @milly.rolle