I really enjoy finding intimate and unorthodox ways of showing work, and have often collaborated with performers to welcome and involve audiences in unexpected ways. The two examples shown here, The tragic and disturbing tale of Little Lupin and Bookshed both blurred the boundaries between visual art and theatre, as well as between performer and audience.

THE TRAGIC AND DISTURBING TALE OF LITTLE LUPIN was an outdoor promenade theatre performance focused around a hand-drawn animation, screened in makeshift cinema run by wolves. With its roots in the rich, dark soil of fairy tales, it told the tale of a girl who was not like others and how life in the wild can take unexpected and sometimes rather unpleasant turns.

Little Lupin was commissioned for a national tour by Theatre Bristol, Bristol Old Vic, and the Bristol Do with support from Without Walls and Arts Council England. It was written, designed, directed and animated by me, performed by Brenda Waite, Richard Hughes and Edward Rapley, with music composed and performed by Richard Hughes.



Trailer for Little Lupin, narrated by Ali Hughes

Comments and reviews
‘Loved the show! Really inspired and inspiring… just what theatre should be like all the time.’
Audience member

‘Luci’s work is thoughtful, imaginative, witty and inclusive and was appreciated throughout its sell out run here by audiences of all ages.’
Kate Yedigaroff, Producer, artist development, Bristol Old Vic

‘It’s quirky, clever and extremely amusing. The animation has an attractively simple feel, and there’s something slightly magical about being in an audience of only a dozen or so people.’
Timothy Ramsden, Reviews Gate

‘The design is glorious….Richard Hughes provides accompaniment using a variety of instruments, including an accordion, tuba and even two pairs of scissors…an excellent level of comic timing…’
Music OMH

‘It was my personal favourite for the festival this year, and there were over 30 acts to choose from. It made me howl with laughter and the audiences loved it.’
Claire Teasdale, Festivals and Events Manager, Bristol City Council

BOOKSHED
Seen from the outside, there was nothing that gave away the secret of what waited within. The Keeper of the Books invited the audience into her parlour, two at a time, and seated them at a polished wooden table where she offered them a choice of books. Each book was rich in imagery and texture, with tales bound together through their themes of compulsion and desire.

Bye Baby Bunting was a child’s rag book bound in rabbit skin; No Direction Home was a story about belonging made in an out-of-date passport, and The Man with the Bear’s Heart was a book within a book, telling of a young man’s extraordinary encounter with a bear in the forest.


Bookshed toured nationally, working in partnership with a range of galleries, festivals and other organisations including Stour Valley Arts, The National Trust, The National Theatre, The Forest of Avon and Midland Arts Centre.

Comments and reviews
‘It was nice inside. There was a rabbit in a cupboard. There was a lady who was kind because she gave us a cake.’
Audience member

‘Little shed, little shed, what a wonderful moment of tranquillity amongst all the mud. Thank you so much.’
Audience member

‘The audience are treated to a choice of beautiful hand-crafted books… a calm, reflective experience.’
Total Theatre

‘I thought the shed worked really well transporting the children into a place where their imaginations had full scope.’
Mark – teacher

‘The shadow that your shed sheds is long, dark and beautiful.’
Audience member

‘Moving and funny with a distinctly magical feel.’
Audience member