Isabella’s Story Bicycle

Visual storytelling shows and walkabout for outdoor and indoor events

Isabella Necessity loves to share stories from her incredible bicycling adventures in the wilds of the world. She has outwitted mountain trolls, heard a donkey sing opera and danced with the pixies on Dartmoor. When the doors of her story box open wide she will whisk you away to another world with wondrous tales from her travels.

From the oak woods of the west-country to the rainforests of Brazil, Isabella’s earthy charm will put a skip in your step and hope in your heart. With engaging storytelling, quirky puppets and gorgeous hand-drawn illustrations, expect moments of magic, oodles of fun and a fine tale told.

Ting-a-ling-a-ling, my blossoms…

The Stories

Kamishibai – Japanese visual storytelling

The Story Bicycle is inspired by kamishibai which translates as paper theatre, where the storyteller reveals a series of colourful illustrations to tell the story.

It was a popular street storytelling form in Japan during the 1920’s-50’s and is linked to the early days of cartoon and moving image. Today, it is having an international resurgence and Isabella is a leading kamishibai storyteller in the UK.

Sparking Imagination for All

Intimate and interactive, indoors or out, Isabella’s Story Bicycle allows people from all walks of life to have their imaginations sparked by a good story well told. True to the kamishibai spirit, Isabella brings stories to people in unexpected places for the joy of a memorable, shared experience.

  • We’ve had a lovely time with Isabella, hearing stories of bravery and adventure and even making up a few stories of our own in their fabulous workshops.
    Taunton Brewhouse Theatre
  • Her stories totally captured the children’s imaginations and they were all hooked until the very end.

    I would highly recommend her for any storytelling event.
    Director of Woodovis Park

Outdoor Shows

Running time from 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Stories are told individually or threaded together in a medley to offer flexibility for any event. Most popular are different 20 to 30 minute shows told throughout the day at set times, alongside walkabout.

Walkabout

The Story Bicycle is a versatile walkabout act that attracts interest from people of all ages. Isabella has a full bag of tricks from her travels to enliven every encounter, including impromptu 5-10 minute visual stories for tiny audiences.

Ride-about

The vintage bicycle is fully functional and ride-able without the theatre boxes on the back. Ride-about can be used to announce an upcoming show, if space allows.

Workshops

Bespoke workshops in visual storytelling and story making are available inspired by making, performing and learning about kamishibai.

Talks

The history of Japanese kamishibai, as an example of pre-cinema storytelling, makes for a fascinating talk and demonstration.

Indoor Shows

Running times 1 hour.

How to be Brave

Stories from the north and south of the world are told in contrasting colours and style with songs and puppets. Meet a girl lost in the rainforest with a woodpecker who refuses to help, sisters born from a magic bean who sail to the land of the trolls and find out how to be truly brave.

The Buskers of Bremen and Other Animal Tales

A vibrant, comic retelling of a popular Grimms folk tale of four animals who have been told they are old and useless. Those feisty animals won’t let that stop them following their dreams – even though it turns out to be waaay more dangerous than they thought!

  • Isabella’s Story Bicycle was an enchanting, captivating and intricate piece of performance that worked beautifully….as part of our story and puppetry weekend.
    Eden Live Project Lead

Booking Information

  • Audience Outdoors: Up to around 50 people with on ground, chair seating and/ or standing (rugs, cushions can be provided).
  • Audience Indoors: approx 50 seated and on the floor.
  • Age range: aimed at children between 4 and 11 years old and inter-generational audiences.
  • Space: ideal performance area, width 3 metres x depth 2.5 metres x height 2.5 metres.
  • Ground: outdoors: a flat enough performance area on soft or hard standing.
  • Arrival: 60 minutes before start time.
  • Load out/in support: to unload/reload as close as possible to backstage or performance area – then the vehicle can be parked.
  • Get in time: 10 minutes (after backstage preparation time of 30 minutes).
  • Get out: 5 minutes (to leave an area) 30 minutes for total exit.
  • Staging: not required, but can be used if provided. Power – none needed.
  • Sound: This is an acoustic show – with the option of a head mic for nosier environments.
  • Staging and amplification: can be used where provided by the event producers, including radio mic, particularly where staging is preferred by the event team. All site, sound and lighting logistics to be discussed prior to the event.
  • Weather: The Story Bicycle is resilient, however Isabella can’t perform in heavy rain or strong wind and will work with organisers to make decisions.
  • Lighting: needed for indoor performances in theatre style venues. Lighting plan provided on request. Lighting not needed for shows in libraries, for example.
  • Legals: Enhanced DBS. Personal Liability insurance up to £10,000,000. Member of Equity. Society for Storytelling. Risk assessments supplied.
Contact Me

About Isabella

Isabella Necessity was born on a smallholding on Dartmoor, Devon in the early 1900s.

From an early age she found happiness in nature’s wild places and loved listening to local folk tales at her grandmother’s knee. A restless soul, one day she set off on her beloved bicycle, Dilys, little knowing the incredible adventures that lay ahead of her.

Her ability to get on with people, whether they dress in rags or royal robes, has led her to gather amazing stories from around the world to share with the people she meets today.

About Sara Hurley

Sara’s the woman behind Isabella. She has been working with kamishibai and the Story Bicycle since 2017. Originally trained in drama at Exeter University, she is a professional storyteller, workshop leader and producer who has spent her
life working in the arts and culture sector. Sara lives near Dartmoor in Devon.

  • Love that woman! She has children and their parents enthralled, with a gift for making it look easy.
    Audience member
  • We were delighted to have you with us and were so impressed by your performance at the Chilli Fiesta. Absolutely charming!
    Public Events Coordinator West Dean College Chichester
  • I was really impressed with the way that she kept all the children interested and focused for the whole of the 2 1/2 hour session with a mix of stories, drawing and performance. Sara is a wonderful storyteller and a great teacher.
    Libraries Unlimited Devon
Sara’s Website

External Artists

Isabella’s Story Bicycle is the concept of Sara Hurley. Adaptations of traditional folk tales have been devised by Sara with help from the following artists:

  • Dramaturgical support – Dr. Tony Lidington (Promenade Promotions Ltd) Dr. Tara McGowan (U.S. based kamishibai practitioner and consultant)
  • Puppet maker – Sarah Vigars
  • Illustrations – Cara Roxanne, Tor Allen, Kamini Gupta
  • Song writing – Hugh Nankivell
  • Costume & textiles: – Miss Sequin, Rachel Griffin, Fiona Gullis
  • Sign writing – Mr Fickle
  • Production support – Yudi Wu, Monica-Shanta

Isabella’s Story Bicycle has performed at:

Storytellers Association of Japan in Tokyo, Cheltenham Literature Festival, The Eden Project, Camp Bestival, Chilli Fiesta West Dean, Hastings Storytelling Festival, Another Fine Fest, Ulverston, Catch the Wind Festival, Morecombe Bay, Taunton Brewhouse Theatre, St Leonard’s Festival, Nottingham Festival, Cardiff Riverside Festival, End of the Road Festival, Bovey Craft Festival, Beaumaris Victorian Christmas Festival, Greenaway Literature Festival, National Trust Saltram House, Eat:Festivals, libraries, museums, arts centres, village halls, shopping centres, and she regularly performs with Promenade Promotions Ltd, and more besides!