IT’S showtime down at the ‘shed’ for actress Jen Stone who’s keeping local people entertained with a series of comic monologues both old and new.
The mum of two is one of the volunteers manning the community phone for the Studley Isolation Support Group but felt she could do more by putting her acting talent to good use too during the coronavirus lockdown.
“All my work just stopped dead and I thought, ‘how on earth am I going to fill my hours out?’ and then I remembered the comedy monologues, classic works by the likes of Victoria Wood and Joyce Grenfell and so on and I thought, I could do those and some other pieces too,” said Jen.
The result was ‘Aunty Jen’s Story-Shack’ performed and filmed in a shed which had been built by her husband Craig.
“I get lots of comments, and have even had to take monologue requests” said Jen.
“The response has been amazing with residents telling me they enjoy settling down with a cuppa each afternoon to listen to a new monologue.
“I really miss being in the theatre, so for now, this is the next best thing!”
As well as the classics there’s also some hilarious narrative poetry which is bang up to date – like ‘Albert and the Shark (Albert in Lockdown)’ written by Martin Smith.
And Jen’s working on introducing puppets to the shack too.
The videos mark a personal triumph for Jen too who was left with a fractured spine and sternum after a major road accident on the A46 five years ago.
Her slow route to recovery initially left her housebound before the desire to fulfil a burning ambition saw her, her family and pet pooch Max climb Snowdon to raise vital funds for the charity Veterans With Dogs.
Then at the end of last year she was back on stage again, this time directing the panto Jack and the Beanstalk at The Attic Theatre in Stratford.
“Doing this has been cathartic for me – five years ago I was in a worse place than I am now,” she said.
Aunty Jen’s Story-Shack is entirely free to view on the Studley Isolation Support and Volunteer Group or at
Aunty Jen’s Story-shack on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/tosz7rp
