Welcome to the Fireside Folktales Fringe. A brand new festival created by Shadow Road productions for more information please scroll down or click on the links below:
- 2026 Line Up – schedule of events, workshops, workshops, and panel discussions
- Our Mission – why we started this festival
- About the Festival
- Platforming other artists – how to apply, rates, etc.
- Our crowdfunding campaign
- Message from Emma King-Farlow, Artistic Director of Shadow Road and founder of the Fireside Folktales Fringe.
2026 Line up
23rd & 24th May 2026
Doors will open for audience members to take their seats 5 minutes before the start of each show. Due to this being a Fringe Event times will be kept strictly, please make sure to arrive at your venue on time and have your tickets ready.
Tickets can be purchased here:
All events are taking place on both Sat 23rd and Sun 24th May unless it states otherwise below
Launch Event - 16th May
Not sure what you would like to see? Then why not join us on Saturday 16th May, a week before the festival itself, for our exciting launch event!
This fabulous evening of thrilling theatre, moving music, and sparkling conversation, allows the companies due to participate in the following weekend’s festival (23rd & 24th May) to share exclusive live extracts from their upcoming shows – and gives you the opportunity to see what you like and book tickets before they sell out.
Doors open at 7pm, with the performed extracts beginning at 7.30pm.
It’s part preview, part party, with each ticket giving you:
A first look at several reimaginings of myths, legends and timeless tales. A chance to meet the performers, creatives, and festival team. Networking opportunities for theatre-makers, sponsors, and story-lovers alike. Festival box office and merchandise on site – grab tickets for your favourite shows before anyone else!
Tickets include a free drink and entry to all performances. 
Raise a glass with us, discover your must-see productions, and celebrate the start of Barnes’ newest theatre festival!
A Festival bar with wine, soft drinks, and snacks available to buy, will run alongside the Box Office throughout the evening...
Schedule of events
The Fireside Folktales Festival takes place in four different venues surrounding the Barnes Green, two of which are within the same building. Each of the different buildings are only a couple of minutes’ walk from the others. Below is the schedule of events in each venue, running from morning to evening on both days.
All events are repeated on both Saturday and Sunday of the festival unless otherwise stated.
For more information on each show please click the “Book Now” button below and you will be taken to TicketSource and have more information on that particular event.
Barnes Methodist Church Hall
12.10pm – 1.10pm Louisa Crumple & the Secret Book of Sweets.
Age: 7+
When Louisa and her dad move to London to open a restaurant, she misses her mum and her old life. After making a wish on her birthday cake, she accidentally opens a portal to The Endless – a magical, edible world where ‘eat or be eaten’ is the law. To escape, she must find the secret ingredient that will bring her home, while avoiding an evil magician who has a taste for fresh (human!) meat.
Details coming soon…
1.50pm – 3.20pm
Saturday 23rd – Agent Discussion Panel
1.50pm – 3.20pm
Sunday 24th – Prop-Making with Alice Wilson
5.55pm – 6.55pm Ghost Stories
Details coming soon…
Barnes Methodist Church
1.15pm – 2.30pm Resurgam
Age: 12+
It’s opening night for the recently rebuilt Thornfield’s Bar, and Jane is taking center stage. As the performance progresses, Jane is forced to confront her own existential fears, dreams, and unsettled grief. Resurgam blends the performer’s own lived experience with the fictional friendship of Jane and Helen in Jane Eyre. This solo show explores the legacy of the unnoticed, and the hope for new dreams to emerge from the ashes.
Details coming soon…
3.10pm – 4.25pm Macbeth: Sleep No More.
Age 8+
“All hail Macbeth that shalt be King hereafter…”
With these portentous words, the three witches seal the fate of not only the Thane of Glamis himself but also all the others whom Macbeth will dispose of on the way to fulfilling their deadly prophecy.
“King-Farlow’s skilfully edited and staged adaptation is perfectly pitched from witchy start to blood-letting finish…Verbally it was superb, words being spat with a vehement intensity that raised hairs on the back of the neck. Physically, it was breathtaking, sword fighting that felt real, blood that looked it. Peerless… I’ll be making tracks for a repeat run. Yes, it was that good. ” – Fringe Review
For more reviews, testimonials, photos, and more click here.
6pm – 6.50pm 1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie.
Age: 12+
A king. A traitor. A villain. Or was he? History paints Richard III as a ruthless usurper; but history is written by the victors. In this powerful one-man show, Richard returns to confront the lies, the myths, and the Shakespearean legend that made him infamous. Fact and fiction collide as he defends his name and forces you to question everything you thought you knew. Truth or treachery? Villain or victim? The final verdict…yours to decide.
Details coming soon…
7.15 – 8.15pm Saturday only
Night at the Musicals with Fed Zanni.
Age: Suitable for all
Details coming soon…
Barnes Green Centre
Barnes Green Centre, The Green, Church Road, Barnes, London, SW13 9HE
11am – 11.35am Aesop’s Fables: The Harvest Festival
Age 3+
Three of Aesop’s classic fables – The Ants & The Grasshopper, The Fox & The Stork and The Hare & The Tortoise – have been woven together into this delightful, funny and engaging play for children of all ages.
Harvest time is nearly here and there’s still so much work for the animals to do to make sure they will last through the winter. Can they put their disagreements aside and get the job done in time for the festival?
“Brilliant show! The three children had a brilliant time! The props, the music, and the way it was all strung together was brilliant! Thank you!” – Audience Review, Barnes Kids Lit Fest.
For more reviews, testimonials, photos, and more click here.
12.10pm – 1.10pm
Saturday 23rd – Stage Combat Sword Fighting workshop with Amy Floyd.
Age: 16+
Ever wanted to learn how to sword fight for film or theatre? Now is your chance.
Amy is a stage combat teacher with the APC and a UK director of Captivate-Action. Her credits as a fight performer include The Witcher (Seasons 2-5), Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Star Wars: Andor, Hijack, Slow Horses, Grand Theft Auto VI, and more.
This workshop is open to all fitness levels and teaches you about the illusion of sword fighting for film and theatre. The emphasis is on safety and making you and your partner look epic.
12.10pm – 1.40pm
Sunday 24th – Press Discussion Panel
Details coming soon…
1.50 – 2.50pm Baker Street Ladies.
Age: 8+
Three ladies find themselves drawn to 221b Baker Street, but Sherlock is not at home this evening… Multi-award-winning actor and writer Lexi Wolfe (“an unforgettable performance” – Get Your Coats On) brings to life the iconic characters of Mary Morstan (Mrs Watson), the indomitable Mrs Hudson, and the mysterious Irene Adler.
Details coming soon…
5pm – 5.40pm Shadow Road Storytime.
Age: Suitable for all
Details coming soon…
Rose House
Rose House, 70 Barnes High Street, London, SW13 9LD
10.45 – 11.50pm Lullabies & Love Stories
Age: 8+
Who and what is sacrificed on a hero’s quest? While embarking on his epic journey, a Hero is ensnared and confronted by a Spirit who, cursed to deliver her message only through metaphor, attempts to impress upon the Hero the answers to these questions through myths, ancient tales, and folk ballads. Familiar folk songs are newly adapted and classic folk tales are reimagined in a North American setting in this modern, surreal fairytale.
Details coming soon…
12.30 – 1.30pm First Time Tales
Age: 15+
Come and see a story created before your very eyes! Told like the tales of old – just as a scop, bard, or shaman from the dawn of time first discovered their stories, First Time Tales will weave a story of love and excitement from the threads brought by YOU the audience. Join in an ancient communion of laughter and revelation as we share in the delight of pure improvised creation.
Details coming soon…
3.10pm – 4.15pm Daedalus & Icarus
Age: 15+
The story of Daedalus and Icarus as told by the Nobel Prize-winning Dario Fo, translated into English, and adapted for our modern age in celebration of the centennial of the Italian master’s birth. It relates the story of Icarus, not as the downfall of an arrogant and prideful youth – as he is so often portrayed – but rather as a cautionary tale against fleeing the world we live in, in favour of the comforts of fantasy.
Details coming soon…
5pm – 5.40pm Plucked
Age: 18+
A Timeless Tale in a Modern Guise
A young woman becomes ensnared in a dangerous underworld, and her mother can only watch as she’s lured further and further away. Told through two gritty, atmospheric monologues, two perspectives of the same tale, Plucked is a modern retelling of the Persephone and Demeter myth. A story of love and loss and what a mother is prepared to do to get her child back.
Details coming soon…
Our Mission
Shadow Road Productions specialises in creating intimate, inventive, meaningful theatre for all ages – and performing it in unusual spaces: historic buildings, bell tents, hospitals, gardens, cancer centres, care homes, and community venues. We’ve worked with some brilliant partners over the years – from the National Trust and military charity Combat Stress, to Barnes Children’s Literature Festival, the Imperial Health Charity, and the London Wetland Centre – always aiming to bring theatre to everyone, not just those who can afford the West End.
Now, we’re launching an exciting new project: The Fireside Folktales Fringe – a weekend-long festival of classic stories reimagined, and performed in non-traditional spaces around Barnes Pond, SW13, on the 23rd & 24th May 2026, with a launch event at St Mary’s Barnes on Sat 16th May.
About the Festival
Inspired by our own ‘Fireside Folktales’ project – which casts four female actors in all roles and uses no tech, just some theatrical storytelling magic with live music and sound effects – this festival strips theatre back to what matters most: People. Stories. Connection.
In an increasingly tech-driven world (where AI avatars can replace actors, and ticket prices are soaring), we’re going back to basics. No headsets. No holograms. No elaborate lighting rigs. Just real humans, sharing powerful, age-old tales, face to face.
Shadow Road is proudly female-led, and our work actively rebalances the stories we tell and the roles we offer. The Fireside Folktales collection gave hugely talented women the chance to play characters such as Macbeth, Scrooge, Robin Hood, Hades, Zeus, Long John Silver, Jim Hawkins, and many others – and to see timeless tales through different eyes. This festival continues that mission: giving platforms to bold storytelling, diverse voices, and new perspectives on old favourites.’
What makes the festival special?
– Theatre in unexpected venues – no black box required
– Classic tales reimagined by today’s artists
– Affordable, accessible, community-led
– Intimate, immersive performances – connection over spectacle
– A hub for storytelling, creativity, and collaboration
Where can I buy tickets?
Right here. Tickets to our launch event are already live, submissions are now open for shows wanting to join the festival (see below), and tickets will be available to purchase once the schedule for the festival has been announced.
Please sign up to our mailing list to be the first to hear more.
Platforming Other Artists
We’re not just performing – we’re hosting! The Fireside Folktales Fringe is designed to give a real leg up to other creatives: solo performers, emerging companies, experienced teams trying something new.
With just one weekend’s commitment, they’ll have the chance to showcase work in front of engaged audiences, receive reviews, win awards, and connect with peers and industry supporters – all without the stress and cost of a full-length tour or month-long Fringe run. We want to give people a joyful, professional platform to launch their next big step.
If you are interested in bringing a show to the Fireside Folktales Barnes Fringe Festival you can find out more information here:
To download a copy of the information pack, please visit: https://tinyurl.com/FiresideFolktalesFringeInfo
Applications open in October 2025. To submit your show, workshop, or other event, for consideration please fill in this form:
https://tinyurl.com/4p3tsfxm
Our Crowdfunding Campaign
Why We’re Crowdfunding?
This is a brand new festival, built entirely from scratch – and we want to do it properly, while keeping it inclusive and welcoming. Your support will help us cover essential costs like:
- Venue and staging hire
- Insurance
- Marketing and printed programmes
- Producing fees
- Volunteer coordination and thank-you gifts
- Free tickets for charities, carers, and low-income audience members
- Free tickets for reviewers, so artists can gain feedback and visibility
Please back our Crowdfunding Campaign here:
Message from Shadow Road’s Artistic director, Emma King- Farlow:
If you’ve read the page above, you will already have a pretty good idea about the festival, its aims, and everything that makes it special. One of the most important elements of it, for me, is providing other companies with the chance to enjoy all the benefits that can come from festival participation, without having to find the same amount of money or time that is usually required, and which can be a real barrier for many in the industry.
The joys, opportunities, and lessons that taking part in a festival offers should be available to everyone – and I’m determined to see that they are! I started and have continued to run Shadow Road while living with multiple chronic illnesses – something I rarely talk about, but which gave me a clear goal: to create my own opportunities, and to help others do the same. Indeed, many of the Shadow Road team live with their own challenges – we have a long-standing history of working with disabled and neurodivergent artists – and that spirit of independence, compassion, and resilience is at the heart of everything we do. As is our deep love of theatre and the arts – which we also believe should be available to everyone, not just those who can afford it.
If you can support us – by donating to our fundraiser, sharing news about the festival with interested friends, or simply cheering us on loudly on social media – thank you from the bottom of our storytelling hearts. You’ll be helping us build something joyful, lasting, and meaningful. 
And if you’d like to take part – as a performer, a volunteer, a sponsor, or in any other way – please get in touch via shadowroadproductions@gmx.com. We’d love to hear from you!
With love and thanks,
Emma & the Shadow Road team xx
Our Team
A short introduction to your team members and why their background should inspire potential clients’ confidence.
Emma King-Farlow
Artistic Director
Mark Thornton
Tech Support
Matt Bentley
Festival Reviewer
Employee Name
Job title
FAQ
A frequently asked question surrounding your service
A detailed answer to provide information about your business, build trust with potential clients, and help convince the visitor that you are a good fit for them.
A frequently asked question surrounding your service
A detailed answer to provide information about your business, build trust with potential clients, and help convince the visitor that you are a good fit for them.
A frequently asked question surrounding your service
A detailed answer to provide information about your business, build trust with potential clients, and help convince the visitor that you are a good fit for them.
A frequently asked question surrounding your service
A detailed answer to provide information about your business, build trust with potential clients, and help convince the visitor that you are a good fit for them.