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Narrative Alchemy

narrative/ˈnarətɪv/noun/a spoken or written account of connected things, a story.

alchemy/ˈalkəmi/noun/the conscious creation of positive change.

are you looking for A creative solution?

Narrative Alchemy creates powerful applied theatre, film, and narrative-based training workshops and resources that spark reflection, conversation, and change. Our work is delivered across three key areas - for primary schools (KS1 & KS2), for secondary schools (KS3 & KS4), and for professional and public sector bodies. Each strand is carefully crafted to meet its audience where they are, using the transformative power of story to educate, engage, and inspire.

Click an option below to explore each area in more detail.

Let's get you to the right place...

KS 1 & KS2

Click here to find out about our theatre and film work for children & young people in KS1 & KS2

KS3 & KS4

Click here to find out about our workshops, theatre, and film work for children & young people in KS3 & KS4

Public & Private Sector

Click here to find out about our film production, development training, and workshops for Private & Public Sector Organisations

how do we do WHAT WE DO?

All of our work, whether theatre, film or training & development, is deeply rooted in Narrative Theory and the simple power of stories and narratives.

Narrative Theory is a multidisciplinary field that examines the structure, function, and impact of narratives or stories in human communication and understanding. It explores how narratives shape individual and collective identities, influence beliefs and behaviours, and construct meaning within societies.

how does this apply to our work?

In practical terms, the application of Narrative Theory in our projects involves leveraging creative interventions and storytelling techniques to facilitate understanding, connection, curiosity, empathy, and change. By harnessing the power of narratives, we aim to:-

Engage Emotionally Stories have the ability to evoke powerful emotions and create meaningful connections with audiences. Through our work, we use storytelling to engage stakeholders emotionally, fostering empathy and a deeper understanding of social issues.

Create Understanding Stories contextualise information, stimulate visualisation and empathy, encourage perspective-taking, employ narrative structure, and enhance memory and retention. By engaging both cognitive and emotional processes, stories facilitate learning and comprehension, making complex subjects more accessible and relatable.

Construct Meaning By guiding individuals, organistions, and communities through narrative processes, we enable them to make sense of complex issues, identify their roles within larger narratives, and envision possibilities for change.

Challenge Perspectives Narratives have the power to challenge existing perspectives and reshape worldviews. Through our projects, we leverage the power of storytelling to encourage critical reflection and dialogue, challenging entrenched beliefs and fostering openness to new ideas.

Empower Voices In our work we strive to amplify peoples voices and co-create narratives that reflect the richness and complexity of our human experiences; empowering individuals and communities to share their stories, to feel safe, secure, seen and heard, and to advocate for change.

Inspire Action Ultimately, our goal is to inspire action and drive positive change. By harnessing the persuasive power of narratives, we motivate individuals and organisations to take concrete steps towards addressing social issues, whether through individual choices, policy advocacy, organisational change, or community mobilisation.

Human beings are story-telling, story-hearing, and story-carrying machines, and we have been using stories to make sense of our world since we first started painting on cave walls. But don't just take our word for it...

"The reason for evil in the world is that people do not get to tell their stories"

- C. J. Jung

"The human species thinks in metaphor and learns through stories"

- Mary Catherine Bateson

"Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form."

- Jean Luc Godard

"You're never going to kill storytelling, becuase it's built in the human plan. We come with it." -

- Margaret Atwood