Ghost Story

Stephen in 1972: An early publicity picture

In 1972 I qualified from Central as a speech and drama teacher. Life and work then began for real, on every level. Here I am now, in a happy place, still learning, still curious, settled at home and engaged with The Border Readers project. Post Covid we’re preparing once again to play community arts venues across rural and urban Northumberland with another Halloweentide line up of classic, modern and contemporary ghost story readings.

Chances are you won’t be able to join us at a gig but if you’re interested in sampling remotely what’s on offer you can hear one of these fabulous tales – Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Canterville Ghost’ – on a free to view You Tube channel ‘The Art of the North’, set up by our company designer Terry Walsh earlier this year. Narration is by me with music and sound effects by Terry.

‘When a golden girl can win / Prayer from out the lips of sin / When the barren almond bears / And a little child gives away its tears / Then shall all the house be still / And peace come to Canterville.’

Along with a few other ghost stories by masters of the genre, from M R James to Edith Nesbit, this fun exercise in home studio recording seems a fitting way to mark those five decades. It also reminds me just how very fortunate I’ve been to have had such a wonderfully varied career in all aspects of the business, blessed in the company of so many creative and exceptional good companions.