Hi there, I hope you like the image above, I really must get a new pen...anyway I'm Jane Walker and I write for stage and radio.
Four of my whimsical and light-hearted radio plays have been produced by The Radio Theatre Project in Florida, U.S.A. You can listen to Deep Encounter and Head in the Clouds on SoundCloud. I'm delighted with their recent production of Is There Life On Mars, also published on SoundCloud. Being a little bit northern I've been absolutely thrilled to gain credits on BBC Radio Scotland's topical comedy panel show Breaking the News, most recently in their radio and TV broadcasts of 25th October 2024. I love working with Spontaneous Productions and I am Co-writer of the adaptation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff, an outdoor family show on until 1st June. I was delighted to be Co-writer and Script Consultant for Endurance: The Ernest Shackleton Story, staged April/May in St. Bart's Church next door to his childhood home. In November 2024 I was delighted to be Script Consultant and a contributing writer for an immersive adaptation of Orwell's dystopian classic, 1984. I've co-written twelve family shows for Spontaneous Productions including adaptations of The Nutcracker and Hansel and Gretel in 2024. The Nutcracker and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, co-adapted with Creative Director Jonathan Kaufman, played to packed audiences and we had wonderful feedback, for example for Peter Pan: 'really fun and interactive', 'very engaging for little people and big people'. Hansel and Gretel also received lots of lovely audience comments including 'Really engaging, fun & good for all ages' and 'Brilliant introduction for local children to theatre'. I was honoured to be a writer for Home from Home, which took place on Saturday 22nd June 2024 and brought refugee voices to the stage. |
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L to R. The Blues Brothers Grimm, Dec 2022: Chioma Nwalioba, Wictor Koch and Shireenah Ingram in Rumplestiltskin, one of the fairy tales featured in the Christmas show.
Aladdin, March 2023: Valentina Pakou and Jyo Miarkali. Peter Pan, December 2024: me with the cast: Harry Simkins, Oliver Byng, Kate Barry, Marlon-Oliver Harris and Desiree Skylark. Hare v Tortoise and Other Aesop's Fables, May/June 2023: Monica Nash and Olayinka Sobitan Solomon. Hansel and Gretel, March 2024: Francesca Anderson as Wilma Wonky and Kitty as herself. The Nutcracker, December 2024: Angus Hepburn as Great Uncle Drosselmeyer, Marlon-Oliver Harris as The Nutcracker, Kate Barry as The Sugar Plum Fairy/Anna, Jyo Miarkali as Clara and Jojo Rosales as The Gingerbread Man/Fritz/ The Mouse King. Endurance: The Ernest Shackleton Story, April/May 2025: Oliver Byng as Worsley, Robert Maskell as Ernest Shackleton and William Hastings as Wild. Bottom right: Robert Maskell as Ernest Shackleton and Jodyanne Richardson as Reporter. All show photos: Mark Drinkwater @sydenhamphotos. |
News to muse...
The Three Billy Goats Gruff, a fun family outdoor show, now on. Co-writer.
Script Consultant and Co-writer for Endurance: The Ernest Shackleton Story, on April/May 2025 at St. Bart's Church Sydenham, next to Shackleton's childhood home.
My short play 'Amazing' was staged as part of 600 Seconds, 22nd February 2025.
Ten performances of The Nutcracker, a family Christmas Show, St. Bart's Church, Sydenham, December 2024. Co-writer.
1984, an immersive theatre production, was on at The Sydenham Centre on 9th and 10th November 2024. Script Consultant and contributing writer.
Thrilled to again have material broadcast on BBC Scotland's Breaking the News topical panel show, on 25th October 2024.
Home from Home, on Saturday 22nd June
There'll be two extra fundraising performances of Hansel and Gretel on Saturday 18th March.
Is There Life on Mars, a short radio play, was performed by The Radio Theatre Project on 25th March and is available on SoundCloud.
Cures for Love, a full length radio play, was shortlisted for the Ink Festival 2024.
Hansel and Gretel , a brand new musical version of the classic fairy tale, was the first family show for 2024 from Spontaneous Productions, which I co-adapted with Jonathan Kaufman.
Singular Voices: On Stage, Saturday 17th February Upstairs at the Sydenham Centre. An evening of comic and dramatic monologues included The Gregorian Way by yours truly.
Breaking the News , material broadcast by BBC Scotland on 3rd and 4th November 2023.
Peter Pan, a fun Christmas treat in December 2023, in the beautiful setting of St. Bart's Church, Sydenham. Co-adapted with Jonathan Kaufman.
Hare v Tortoise and Other Aesop's Fables ran in Home Park Sydenham in May and June 2023.
My short play Mr Smith and the Lady was performed at Park Theatre on 31st March 2023 as part of a new writing night.
Aladdin , a brand new, musical version of the beloved Arabian Nights tale, was on 4th - 26th March 2023 at the Sydenham Centre. Featuring magic, mystery and mayhem, this was a family theatre show for all ages. Co-written with Jonathan Kaufman.
My radio play Heads in the Clouds was performed and broadcast by the Radio Theatre Project in the U.S.A. on 27th February 2023 and is available on SoundCloud. Their broadcast of Deep Encounter is also available on SoundCloud.
Love Bytes: Futureshock - Saturday 18th February 2023, 7:30pm at the Sydenham Centre, SE26. An evening of short plays on the theme of love and heartbreak in the future, included my piece Throwback Thursday.
I was thrilled to get a credit on BBC Scotland's Breaking the News which was broadcast on 18th and 19th November 2022.
The Blues Brothers Grimm - a fun Christmas show for all the family performed over two weekends in December 2022 at St. Bartholomew's Church, Sydenham. Co-written with Jonathan Kaufman.
My short play 'Bootless Cries' was performed for a second time by CAAPA on 2nd December 2022 to raise funds to support the Farm Street Homeless project.
Frighteners 2022 - Museum of Monsters - Saturday 29th October 2022. Audience members explored each room in this immersive show.
Little Red Riding Hood - The Truth! ran from 5th March to 3rd April 2022 at the Sydenham Centre. Co-written with Jonathan Kaufman.
The Beauty and The Beast Christmas show: had four show days: 4th, 5th, 11th and 12th December 2021. Co-written with Jonathan Kaufman. Great audience reviews
My radio play 'Deep Encounter' was performed by the Radio Theatre Project over the pond on 22nd November 2021.
Around the World in 80 Days , received a 5 star review in summer 2021:
'...a five-star rating means one of the best examples of a show of its type that the reviewer has ever seen - and that's precisely what this is. Complete with sparky plot, imaginative promenade staging, a four-piece live band, gentle inclusion of topical issues and a showcase for the skills of five fine, immaculately directed actors, it is an outstanding piece of work.'
March 2021: a pay-what-you-can online selection of new monologues by Spontaneous Productions, performed by superb actors. Part One featured my monologue A Dark Place. This was previously one of four winning entries in a competition held by London Playwrights Workshop.
The Strange Tale of W.W., inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story, is available to watch as part of Scenesaver's Halloween Festival Fright Night. This was staged as part of 'Frighteners 2019', a collection of seven playlets produced by Spontaneous Productions.
https://www.scenesaver.co.uk/festivals/halloween/
Puss in Boots
Adapted from the classic fairy tale by Jonathan Kaufman and Jane Walker
A family outdoor theatre show in Mayow Park, Sydenham, South East London, presented by Spontaneous Productions
15th - 23rd August 2020
Gallery and audience feedback here
Here's a video of 'The Strange Tale of W.W.', inspired by the short story by Edgar Allan Poe.
1984, an immersive production staged 9th and 10th November, 2024: William Hastings as Syme. Photo by Mark Drinkwater of Sydenham Photos.