The Norman Conquests

Marking 1000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror, wild taleteller The Story Beast (John Henry Falle) and Observer cartoonist and former Children’s Laureate Chris Riddell team up for a live-illustrated dive into Norman history.

The show follows 12th-century Jersey monk Master Wace, who began his 16,000-line Roman de Rou before his patrons, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, abruptly withdrew support. Racing to finish before the money runs out, Wace’s epic is reimagined in a lively new adaptation, with Riddell bringing Vikings, battles, 1066 — and even a zombie-fighting ancestor — vividly to life in ink. (Suitable for Ages 12+)