Storytelling
I perform as Shane Gabriel, a mythic storyteller whose work brings ancient tales into vibrant life for contemporary audiences. My storytelling blends folklore, myth, and lived experience with theatrical embodiment, often accompanied by musicians to create a dynamic conversation between narrative and sound.
My work moves between folk traditions and lived experience to explore themes of identity, class, struggle, and empowerment. Whether rooted in ancient lore or personal myth, each story is shared with curiosity, wit, and a deep respect for the power of narrative to connect us across time and place.
While informed by my background in theatre and dramatherapy, my storytelling is an artistic form of witness and imaginative encounter, inviting audiences to be present with their own associations, memories, and emotional responses.
I am a member of the Society for Storytelling
images by @stillsbykira
Current Projects
Various events around the country , but currently developing this...
My People came from the sea
A bold and intimate storytelling performance weaving together drag, folklore, and autobiography.
Blending shadow puppetry, live music, and spoken word, this work draws on Irish Traveller folklore and personal history to explore inherited trauma, identity, and transformation. Moving between myth and memory, the piece reclaims the stories we carry—both spoken and unspoken—and reimagines them as sources of strength, resilience, and possibility.
Part ritual, part performance, the work invites audiences into a rich, otherworldly space where humour and darkness sit side by side, and where the act of storytelling becomes a way of reclaiming our own great personal myths.
Still images by Miranda Spencer-Pearson @Mirandaspencerp_uk
Some reviews
“Ancient and Immediate, Shane is perfectly placed to tell this…Excellent.”
Audience member
“Expert storyteller Shane, dreamily leads us through centuries-old folk tales whilst also picking under the skin of our contemporary existence - a must-see for me!”
Jayne Williams, New Perspectives Theatre Company
“A powerful and enchanting performance. Shane creates a rich, immersive world that draws you in completely—I left feeling both stirred and inspired.”
“Shane’s storytelling is captivating and deeply moving. They have a unique ability to hold an audience, weaving humour, myth, and emotion into something truly memorable.”
Audience member
Audience member
Leeds Town Hall
Tomb of the Kings in Paphos-Cyprus
Markeaton Park
Derby Festé
Timber Festival-New Forest
Departure Lounge a- Derby Theatre
Ryan’s Bar
Canero Lounge
NHS buildings
Affiliations
I am a full member of
and
I'm an associate Artist of 1623 Theatre Company, with whom I have developed and performed several devised and text-based works.
Past work has been supported by :
Arts Council England, Derby Theatre, Lakeside Arts Nottingham, In Good Company, Derbyshire LGBTQ+,
Shakespeare Playhouse North, Attingbourgh Arts Centre, Derby Festé, The National Forest, and NHS.