Irene Lofthouse

Irene's been telling tales since she was a girl in the school playground, as her friends remind her. Many were 'spooky' storiess; ones about ghosts, hauntings, murders and mysteries in Bradford and beyond. In between, she'd head off for adventures in far flung places inspired by the topics at school (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Medieval, Elizabethan - not much has changed!) with pirates, gods/goddesses, alchemists, plotters, highway robbers and wily women.

 

The books here are extension of that girl in the playground's imagination, collected in print for the first time.

Irene's stories, scripts, poems and articles have featured in magazines, local/regional press, theatres, festivals, museums and on heritage buildings.

 

She's taken a one-woman show to Edinburgh Fringe, appeared on TV, radio and films. She is also a professional actress, heritage interpreter and creative facilitator on arts/cultural projects and trustee of several arts organisations.

 

In 2015 she's been commissioned by Leeds Libraries to create two storywalks with local communities. Her stories and work featured at Bradford Festival; Horsforth Walk of Art; Foundling Museum (London); www.26.org, Richmond Walking and Book Festival; Bradford Libraries.

 

Irene is available for talks/workshops and projects in schools, libraries, museums, theatres, festivals.