THE HOUSE OF RUMOUR presents

Story Pick + Mix!

tall tales for tired minds -
a sugar-rush for the soul!

Story Pick + Mix is a new monthly series of wild stories for anyone who wants give their imaginations a treat: evenings as delicious + varied as a childhood bag of sweets.Expect contemporary retellings of some of the best Old Stories, told by the best performance storytellers, in a lovely intimate space - a Neverland - in the heart of London.Curated by the House of Rumour + the Crick Crack Club, in collaboration with Theatre Deli, one of London’s liveliest creative communities.

About

Story Pick + Mix aims to bring spark, diversity and variety to London’s story performance scene, with a curated programme of established master tellers previewing new work, emerging artists giving fresh voice to ancient stories … and everything in between.Each month’s event showcases one performance, hosted by House of Rumour founder Laura, a storyteller as obsessed with sweets and she is with stories.

pick + mix library

To tickle the imagination, Laura will introduce each show as if it were really a particular type of childhood candy.After the show, the audience will be invited to draw, write (or otherwise create) their own candy metaphor for what they’ve just seen, to add to the Story Pick + Mix Library.And .. for the literal-minded (or those whose teeth can still handle it) there will always be some actual sweets to nibble, bag up and take away FREE!

shows

Welcome to Story Pick + Mix Season 1 / Spring 2026, in which we will host four new shows told by some of the UK's most exciting voices!These shows are already good - they've all moved on from ‘scratch’/work-in-progress. BUT to meet their true, polished identities, they need AUDIENCES: willing ears, strong opinions, + (most of all) hungry imaginations.4 March: BODIES ON THE BEACH by Ben Haggarty + Steph Brittain - Mighty Irish myth by two master wordsmiths! - .
2 April: ISLAND OF LOVE by Polis Loizou - A greek goddess' story, told by an actual Greek person!
14 May: BEOWULF by Laura Sampson + Minnie Wilkinson - Epic heroes, small ladies, silly songs!
3 June: WE ARE FOX by StoryJam - foxy folktales by top storytelling double act.WHERE: NEXT DOOR at Theatre Deli, Leadenhall Street (5 mins walk to Liverpool Street, Aldgate, Bank + Cannon St Stations) ZONE 1
WHEN: One Thursday (well, sometimes Wednesday) evening near the beginning of the month - doors 7pmCLICK IMAGES FOR INFO + TICKETS

bodies on the beach

by Ben Haggarty and Steph Brittain

Step into a maelstrom of myth as irrepressible storyteller Ben Haggarty is joined by electrifying new voice Steph Brittain in a raw preview of a bold new interpretation of a magical battle that shook the farthest shores of Ireland over 2000 years ago.Centred on the legendary hero Fionn MacCumhail, his children and his life-long struggles with Donn, Lord of Death and King of the World, this tragic tale traces a powerful
journey through generations of love, war, sacrifice, enchantment and survival.Combining fragments of 15th-century manuscripts, archaeology and folklore, Bodies on the Beach is a resurrection of a forgotten epic – an unknown Celtic Iliad.Join Ben and Steph as they test the edge of ancient myth in modern form.Raw, lyrical, and unforgettable. What will survive the tide?

EVENT DETAILS

Venue: Next Door Space @ Theatre Deli
Time: 7pm
Running Time: 120mins + interval.
Ticket Price

island of love

by Polis Loizou

Cyprus. Birthplace of Aphrodite. An island of beauty, divided by war. Award-winning theatre-maker and storyteller Polis Loizou presents an intimate show, weaving mythology, biography and folklore to explore his identity, family and complex motherland.Beginning with the birth of the country’s infamous goddess, ‘Island of Love’ takes the audience on a journey of love, desire, sexuality… and war. From tales of arranged marriage and bridal kidnappings to fatness and French nutriotionists, holy houses and conversion therapy to nationalism and division, the various faces of Cyprus are revealed.Nominated for Spoken Word and New Writing at the Buxton Fringe Awards 2014."A fascinating, carefully constructed story, told in Polis's warm, mellifluous tones. [...] Accessible, inclusive, personal and touching, a warm hug of a theatrical experience."
Buxton Fringe Review"Intelligent, imaginative, thoughtful and illuminating."
Just Saw This

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Beowulf

by Laura Sampson and Minnie Wilkinson

There’s a recipe for renown:‘Save the day. Beat monsters. Gift your reward to the right receiver.’And don’t get old.Beowulf is a hero destined for renown: he’s made sure of it. He knows his history, and he knows his enemy. But there are always other enemies, and the ‘truth’ of a history always depends on its tellers …Dive with Minnie Wilkinson and Laura Sampson into a mere of epic heroes - a time and place where it’s not about living, it’s about living on. To do that, you have to win.To win, you have to fight.
To fight, you have to forget you’re afraid to die

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we are fox

by StoryJam

Not all folk tales are about forests full of princesses. You knew that, right?We got to thinking about how we live in the high rises and terraces, suburbs and estates. And then we went skip-diving for old stories about people – human and otherwise – with pasts, with secrets, with experiences to share if you only stop and chat.We’ve hauled up folktales of strangers with milky eyes, pockets full of rubbish, hands that are not their own, questions that they ask to everyone they meet… Give it up surviving and thriving, for sharp wits, courage and curiosity, and singing your song in the dark.
Forget fear, get curious! Come be bell ringers and fox choir. Get your ears full of stories. We’ll also be featuring a special guest from your manor, because we are nosey and we want to know everyone and everything.We. Are. Fox.We Are Fox is Story Jam’s new project after our sell-out touring show, Women Who Gave No Fks.

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collaborators

The House of Rumour is a promoter of oral storytelling performance through events built to inspire, enrich and empower imaginations. Founded by Laura Sampson.The Crick Crack Club is the UK's leading performance storytelling promoter, whose events have inspired generations of hearts, minds and voices.Theatre Deli is a London-based creative community which has won awards for "delivering creative and adventurous work changing the UK performing arts landscape'.

Contact

For questions, suggestions, feedback, invitations, commissions (anything at all really) please get in touch via Laura's socials, the House of Rumour email or the form below!

See you Next Door soon!

Come and join a Story Pick + Mix night - or even better, come to them all!