Keep our reporting free for everyone to read  Upgrade to paid

ON OUR RADAR

Kalevala

Katy Cawkwell and fellow storytellers present tales from Finland’s national epic poem in Exeter’s oldest building.

Leigh Curtis

St Nicholas Priory is hosting an evening of storytelling to celebrate Kalevala Day on Friday 28 February.

Led by storyteller Katy Cawkwell, and the latest in a series of Story Blaze events, the evening will feature stories from epic poem Kalevala.

The Kalevala tells the story of the creation of earth. It was compiled in the 19th century from oral folklore and mythology and is regarded as the national epic of Karelia and Finland.

Kalevala Day is celebrated in Finland on 28 February each year, in honour of the epic.

The event will also feature local storytellers Robin Eastoe, Rosamund Clare, John Wehner, Chuffy Jenkins, Henry Everett and Clare Viner.

Joukhainen's revenge by Akseli Gallen-Kallelan Joukhainen’s revenge by Akseli Gallen-Kallelan. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Katy Cawkwell began professional storytelling in 1996.

She creates performances based on traditional narratives and has put on shows at storytelling festivals and clubs and appeared at venues including the Barbican Centre and Soho Theatre.

She is also currently hosting storytelling workshops in Clyst St George.

Subscribe to The Exeter Digest - Exeter Observer's essential free email newsletter

Your personal information will be processed and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Kalevala takes place at 7.30pm on Friday 28 February 2025 at St Nicholas Priory. It is suitable for ages 12 and over.

For more information visit the St Nicholas Priory website.

Tickets cost £5 and are available via the Ticketsource website.

Keep our reporting free for everyone to read

Exeter Observer's public interest publishing is paid for by a growing community of readers who each contribute to its running costs.

They enable us to keep our journalism free for thousands of people who might otherwise never know about the things we report.

But it's not enough. We need more paying subscribers to keep our readers informed about what's really going on in our city.

135 of the 300 paying subscribers we need have taken the next step and signed up to support the independent journalism our city needs.

Help keep our reporting free for everyone to read by joining them today, from less than £2/week. We can't do it without you.

Upgrade to paid

More stories
Illustrative view of proposed co-living blocks from Heavitree Road

Heavitree Road police station student accommodation and “co-living” scheme consultation extended

Developers revise application for full planning permission for 813-bed seven-block complex submitted in May as similar proposals proliferate across city centre.

Boneyard arcade games

Unique retro games arcade to create new Sidwell Street venue after long search

Boneyard arcade seeking permission to change use of empty Brighthouse retail unit after making way for “co-living” block at previous Red Lion Lane location.

Proposed revised Mary Arches Bartholomew Street East co-living block elevation

Mary Arches “co-living” developer resists “miniscule” room size criticisms as design revisions prompt further consultation

Changes include increased building footprints and removal of twelve rooms to provide eleven communal kitchens – between residents of 297 studios – while gates obstruct pedestrian thoroughfare and site’s historic setting and significance essentially ignored.

September 2025 permitted replacement scheme west elevation

Council denies data and contrives criteria to dismiss community balance concerns in third King Billy student block approval

Exeter Observer analysis finds more students living in city centre than residents as council bid to include PBSA in housing delivery figures weakens local planning policy – but does not remove it from decision-making altogether.

, updated

Grace Road Fields in March

Botched consultation restarted on sale of 8.5 acres of Riverside Valley Park green space

Council land disposal to include rights to lay underground distribution pipework across River Exe floodplain following “low-to-zero carbon” Grace Road Fields heat plant planning approval in face of Environment Agency sequential test concerns.