Inspired by William Morris’s Mermaid design in our Works In Progress exhibition, we've invited professional storyteller Wendy Shearer to share some of her favourite fairymaid and merfolk tales from the folklore of Trinidad and Tobago. This is storytelling for adults so expect tales of aquatic hauntings, chilling curses and bewitched fishermen. There will also be a chance to put questions to Wendy, who is the author of two forthcoming books for children and adults on Caribbean folktales.

About Wendy Shearer

Wendy Shearer is a professional storyteller and author, with a love for bringing folktales, myths, and legends to life for everyone to join in. She often tells stories for festivals, in schools and venues including The British Museum, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Royal Academy of Arts.

Wendy's repertoire is drawn mostly from her Afro-Caribbean ancestry. She tells tales of trickster, spirits, and shapeshifters unique to the island countries. Her first two books - African and Caribbean Folktales, Myths and Legends for children and Caribbean Folktales with Windrush Migration Stories for adults - will be published by Scholastic and The History Press in 2021.

“Wendy Shearer is a masterful storyteller, bringing everyone with her imaginatively and playfully.” -- Royal Festival Hall literature and spoken word programmer