Inspiring line up for WayWord Festival

Twelfth Night for Kids - at Storyhouse in October

Best-selling children’s author Jacqueline Wilson and actress Rose Ayling-Ellis are among the line-up for the annual WayWord Festival for children at Chester's Storyhouse arts centre (October 25-November 2).

The festival aims to excite, inspire and celebrate the power of words to ignite the imagination.

The festival's theatrical content kicks off with a chance to set sail to a land of laughter with Pirates Love Underpants. The swashbuckling adventure based on the much-loved book by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, which takes over the venue’s main stage October 25-26.

Storyhouse also presents Twelfth Night (for Kids), created specifically for young people (October 26, 29 and November 1).

Festival favourite Jacqueline Wilson returns to Storyhouse on October 28 with the latest in her hugely popular Sleepover series. On the same day BAFTA-winning actress and Strictly champion Rose Ayling-Ellis makes her WayWord debut to talk about Marvellous Messages, her debut book for young readers.

On October 29, puppetry, music and play are the order of the day for tiny visitors aged two and over courtesy of All in a Wondrous Night, while the Storyhouse theatre is the venue for The Dinosaur That Pooped (October 30), adapted from the best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter.

Based on Liz Pichon’s bestselling books and new for 2025, Tom Gates EPIC State Show arrives November 1, and finally, on November 2, The Tale of the Loneliest Whale, a new family show by Hoglets Theatre that explores neurodiversity through a whale’s song in a production with puppetry and original music.

“WayWord has become a much-loved and much-anticipated part of our annual programme," said Storyhouse creative director Suzie Henderson. It's now in its fourth year and it continues to go from strength to strength."

More info and tickets here