Image courtesy of Robert Norbury Photography
STORYTELLING
MYTHS | LEGENDS | SAGAS | FOLK AND FAIRY TALES
“Kirsten’s magical storytelling captivates audiences of all ages, seamlessly bringing stories to life and sparking excitement in young and old minds alike.”
I tell stories to entertain, inspire and challenge, creatively reinterpreting traditional material for modern audiences and issues. I mostly work with Scottish stories; in these stories you may find fortunate farmers, deceitful neighbours, brave princesses, rapacious shadows, mischievous faeries, talking trees, hopeless romantics, covetous mermaids or the restless dead. These are stories of the magical and fantastical but they are also deeply human stories; they tell of the complex human condition, our attitudes to nature, our relationships with others and how we face challenges. Never afraid of dark and difficult themes, my aim is to stir passion and provoke action.
I have been a professional storyteller since 2021, telling stories for audiences of all ages; from early years to the elderly. I work across Scotland and internationally, sharing stories in libraries, theatres, schools, museums, festivals and community events. I also teach storytelling skills for groups and individuals. You can find out more about my storytelling below.
Storytelling in schools
Storytelling is a great addition to the curriculum that helps promote communication skills, problem solving and emotional literacy. I work in schools across Scotland and overseas, entertaining pupils of all ages with traditional tales. My school sessions are designed to be both entertaining and educational, using stories to light up the imagination, learn about culture and heritage, explore dilemmas, understand other people and foster an appreciation for nature.
Sessions can be tailored to suit current learning topics, seasonal holidays or celebrations, adding a new dimension to learning. I can incorporate arts and crafts activities into sessions to further enhance learning and creativity. I’m available for one-off sessions and bespoke, longer term projects that embed storytelling in the curriculum. Some sessions may be eligible for funding from the Scottish Book Trust.
“[We] thoroughly enjoyed working with Kirsten on our storytelling project, which has sparked the imaginations of our children and developed their skills in building effective and engaging stories.”
Storytelling at festivals and events
I tell stories at festivals, community events, private parties, open days, conferences and more. Whatever the event, storytelling is a great addition and I can deliver set performances, drop-in sessions, workshops and story walks. I can adapt my performance style and content to fit the setting and audience and I’m as much at home on stage with big audiences as by the fireside with intimate gatherings. I can also combine storytelling sessions with arts and crafts, and nature connection activities for people of all ages.
Storytelling at a woodland open day with Green Aspirations ScotlandCIC.
“[Kirsten] can blend in to wider activities at larger events, but has the confidence and skill for storytelling to be the main attraction at smaller events. She is very responsive to the wider needs at an event, and can tune in to the feel of an occasion.”
Storytelling Performances
I have a selection of solo and collaborative shows available and ready for performance at your event or venue, see the show details below. I can also offer a bespoke set of stories to suit the theme of your event. Contact me for more information or to discuss any of my shows.
-
![Rose are Dead Peter Chand and Kirsten Milliken]()
Rose are Dead
To follow your heart to the end of love takes real courage.
Sometimes falling in love is the scariest thing to do: because wild, passionate, burning love is not for the faint hearted. From the first stirrings, to the space between the seen and the unseen, trying constantly to overcome the obstacles of the heart. Bliss found – how do we deal with the emotional turmoil which can drive us to the point of insanity and back?
Peter Chand and Kirsten Milliken share folk tales from Indian and Scottish traditions, facing head on the soaring highs and crushing lows explored in these traditional tales.
Duration: 60 mins
Age suitability: Adults, 14+
-
![Torn from the same cloth Kirsten Milliken and Neel Debdutt Paul]()
TORN from the Same Cloth
The story of a global textile industry.
Look closer at that cloth, at the threads making up the pattern, that teardrop pattern. They are the tears of the people torn from their land, the tears of the people torn from their communities, the tears of the people torn from their heritage.
This simple piece of cloth shrouds a dark and sinister tale. It is a tale of innocents kidnapped by otherworldly beings, of cruel landowners with no care for the suffering they inflict, of those so blinded by greed they don’t see the wealth already at their feet; but it is also the tale of the rebels who fight back.
Duration: 75 mins
Age suitability: Adults, 14+
-
![Ceaseless Nights Peter Chand and Kirsten Milliken]()
Ceasless Nights
Thou hast made me endless, such is thy pleasure.." from Gitanjali. Rabindranath Tagore.
Imagine if this night was never ending, and we were able to hold back the coming of the day. Limbs locked, bodies primed, senses ablaze. On such a night we welcome the embrace of ravishing strangers, elemental seducers, and coy lovers; as bodies madly flutter like moths wings in candlelight.
Peter Chand & Kirsten Milliken share a bed full of erotic tales from their respective Indian and Scottish storytelling traditions.
Duration: 60 mins
Age suitability: Adults only, 18+
-
![Beyond the Gloamin Kirsten Milliken]()
Beyond the Gloamin
Something lurks just beyond what is seen.
In Dutch they know it as Schemering, in German it is Zwielicht, but here in Scotland we call it The Gloamin. That time between light and dark, day and night, seen and unseen; that twilight time when all things are possible. It is in that time, in the gloamin that the dead stir, that creatures descend from the hills and water spirits stalk the land.
In Beyond the Gloamin, Kirsten Milliken shares dark and unsettling tales from Scotland, introducing you to some of the weirdest and most gruesome Scottish folklore.
Duration: 60 mins
Age suitability: Adults, 14+
Storytelling workshops and training
I am also an experienced trainer and teach storytelling skills for people of all ages. Storytelling skills are useful for anyone looking to improve their confidence and communication, regardless of the setting and audience size. Whether you’re a teacher, storyteller, librarian or tour guide looking to tell more engaging stories, or a business professional looking to make the perfect pitch, I can help you capture your audience's attention and imagination. I can deliver workshops, courses and one-to-one mentoring for adults to suit your needs.
I also offer workshops in storytelling skills for children and teenagers. These are fun and engaging, and are designed to give youngsters the confidence to use their voice. Using a range of improvisation, role-play, vocal and mime games youngsters are encouraged to be creative, expressive and most of all have fun while learning some real practical tools.
“It was a wonderful workshop and I could put so many things in practice in my story.”