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Hello Creatives,

A forgotten garden shed transforms into a sanctuary of imagination and rebellion in our latest episode, featuring Stasia Keogh's mesmerising reading of "Shrendi Vashtar" by Saki.

This haunting tale follows ten-year-old Conradin, a sickly child given just five years to live, who suffers under the oppressive care of his cousin and guardian, Mrs. De Ropp. 
Trapped in a joyless existence, Conradin creates a secret world inside an old tool shed where he keeps two treasured companions: a Houdan hen and a fearsome polecat ferret that he transforms into a personal deity named Shrendi Vashtar.

In this month's episode, our Guest Reader, Stacia Keogh, an American voice actor, speaking coach, and host of the Finding My Voice podcast, brings remarkable depth to this story of childhood rebellion. 
She explains her connection to the text through her work with Book-It, a theatre company she helped found in Seattle that focused on the power of words and storytelling over elaborate production elements. 
Her interpretation perfectly captures the tension between Conradin's rich inner world and his bleak reality, building to the story's unforgettable climax when Shrendi Vashtar emerges from the shed with blood on its fur while Mrs. De Ropp mysteriously vanishes.

The tale resonates deeply with themes of imagination as resistance, the creation of personal mythology as empowerment, and the triumph of the seemingly powerless. 
As you drift off to sleep, consider the transformative power of imagination and how we all create sanctuaries within our minds to navigate difficult circumstances.

Follow us on social media or leave a review if this episode speaks to you, and visit our website for more content designed to help creative minds find rest.

Follow Stacia here: www.instagram.com/staciakeogh27

Visit her website: www.staciakeogh.co.uk

Also go and listen to her podcast Finding My Voice with Stacia Keogh on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other platforms.

Sleep Tight, 

Florence x

The Music in this episode is Cozy Winter Days by Anthony Catacoli.

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Do you want to feature as one of our Guest Readers in your own special episode? If you work or study in the Performing Arts or Creative Industry in any capacity, we would love to have you.

Applications open on 1st September every year, follow us on Instagram to keep up with the announcements!

Sleepless Creatives is hosted by Florence St Leger, and produced by Canary Studios.
The opening theme is Reflection by Birds of Norway.