Homegrown storyteller – Poppy Avison Fell

Eye Up Elsie is a piece born and bred in Settle. A new Yorkshire Festival of Story commission created and performed by Poppy Avison Fell.

There’s something very magical about Ey Up Elsie. Poppy grew up in Settle and has several generations of her family living in the area. The work she’s created – of course re imagined for a digital festival, has drawn on the rich stories of local people and her own family and her experiences of living in Settle and the Yorkshire Dales.

Poppy left Settle to study BA Drama at the University of Manchester, specialising in community theatre and workshop facilitation. She graduated in 2017, and this is when her passion for circus and theatre joined forces. She toured India with the social circus Performers Without Borders, performing circus shows and delivering circus workshops at charity organisations across India. On her return, she moved to Leeds and set up her own entertainment company Poppins Presents.

Before leaving for University Poppy volunteered for Settle Stories so how fantastic it is in 2020 to have her as one of our artists.

We caught up with Poppy to find out more about her festival commission Ey Up Elsie.

For any non-Yorkshire folk, can you tell us what “ey up” means?

Eye up means hello in Yorkshire Slang. It is thought to hate come from a shortened version of “watch out” or “nose up”. Yorkshire people like to shorten everything.

How did you go about finding these Yorkshire tales?

I interviewed people from across Yorkshire at Country Events and visiting their farms. When lockdown happened I continued to interview people via zoom. I put a shout out for volunteers on social media and interviewed family and friends.

What makes the people of Yorkshire unique?

People from Yorkshire are very proud of where they are from. There is something about the place that makes you always want to come back.

We are blunt and have a dry sense of humour which I enjoy.

Why is it important to share these stories?

Everybody’s lives and experiences are different.  Sharing peoples stories celebrates this difference. What you realise once you move into the city is that life in the countryside is separated from life in the city. In the country everyone is connected and events like ferret racing aren’t perceived as an abstract happening. Creating stories out of people’s experiences in rural Yorkshire shares the connection we have to the countryside and each other. What’s special about taking the event online is that this connection is shared globally.

I have heard that you used to volunteer for Settle Stories. Do you think this inspired your passion for storytelling?

Yes most definitely! Settle Stories was the start of my performance journey. It was my first experience in the creative industry . I remember listening to an Irish storyteller describe her life of travelling and telling stories.  From that moment I knew that’s what I wanted to do when I  finished school. It’s such a lovely feeling knowing that that’s exactly what I did. I graduated with BA Drama and toured India with the social circus Performers without Borders. I have since  toured the UK and Europe performing and delivering workshops.  To have a commission with Settle Stories is like life taking a full circle. I am back at my roots but still at the start of my storytelling journey and excited for what’s ahead.

How has it been taking this online?

Taking the shows online was a challenge, it really helped me develop my film acting and made me realise how much of a perfectionist I am! I specialise in interactive storytelling so not having an audience to bounce off was strange , lots of asking questions to myself . The only audience is your inner critic , but this allowed me to focus on character development. I now have a very polished act that I look forward to bringing to life again next year.

What can we expect from this performance?

You can expect a mixture of modern stories and historical tales that describe life in the Dales from before the war to the present day. Each story is followed by a fun interactive workshop and activity. The audience can be involved and create their own personal connection to each story from the comfort of their home. These stories are designed for every family member to enjoy with fun activities and nostalgic stories.