Naomi has always loved creating magical stories. As a little girl growing up in a lonely world alongside the Thames Estuary, she would quietly read in her bedroom, the garden or in her local library. She would be drawn to ‘outsiders’ and would listen to their whispering voices between the pages. In her writing today, those quiet voices take centre stage in the imaginative worlds she creates for both readers and theatre audiences.

The Young Vic theatre commissioned Naomi to travel to Zimbabwe and write a new play exploring its history and legacy. Whilst she was there, Zimbabwe responded to the Government’s decision to dramatically increase fuel prices with days of protests and unrest. The atmosphere created by these events helped shape the tone and spirit of her play, Umtolo, a poetic tale of the legacy of Christianity and Colonialism.

After a traumatic experience with social media, Venus seeks refuge in a forgotten museum exhibit, ‘the Hottentot Venus’, about a real historic character – Saartjie Baartman. What follows is a story of sexual degradation and economic exploitation, as two women battle with the past, the present and their unknown futures. Naomi’s play is a battle-cry response to the exploitation of women both past and present.

Naomi’s first commissioned play, The Littlest Quirky was a circus-inspired magical adventure of a heroic girl who discovers the world of ‘out there’ and her important place within it. It was produced by Theatre Centre, supported by Stratford Circus, and was shortlisted for The Brian Way Award for Best New Play.

As an artist, Naomi combines her skills as a performer, director and writer to adapt stories, enabling them to be watched and enjoyed by all ages from six months upwards! She enjoys creating safe and accessible theatrical settings where all are welcome to watch, play and learn together.

Naomi continues to work with Discover Children’s Story Centre, the UK’s first story centre for children aged 0–11 and their families. Here she creates as a writer and director, adapting children’s picture books into interactive and engaging storytelling shows for babies and toddlers, and of course their grown-ups!

Working collaboratively with the story builders at Discover Children’s Storytelling Centre, Naomi adapted the picturebook You’re Safe With Me by Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry. Directing a multi-sensory production with puppetry and song, she created an engaging and charming performance for families.

Naomi’s next show with Discover was Sophy Henn’s The Best Worst Day Ever, a beautiful picturebook exploring feelings, from good to bad moods and back again. She created an enchanting and musical world of exploration and adventure, adding her own wonder and comedic charm for children and their families.

Naomi created a series of poetry-based resilience activities providing pupils with opportunities to discuss and explore wellbeing and mental health – specifically grief and loss. Activities consisted of poems to read and reflect upon, poems to write and explore feelings, and poems to perform and engage with others.

For this production Naomi created a drama ‘toolkit’ of activities to inspire those who provide care for people living with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. Using music and song, reminiscence and storymaking, the toolkit supported those living with dementia to maintain their independence and live positively.

PART 1 – A dramatised historic investigation about a journalist with aspirations to become a frontline war correspondent during the First World War. Naomi provided an opportunity for creatives to examine the role of a working-class woman and her meeting the Suffragette movement, and Lawrence’s experiences near the front line.

PART 2 – For students of politics and sociology, Naomi examined women’s identity in war, their leadership and their drive in peace initiatives. She was inspired by the work in Latin America of the Women’s Human Rights Defenders, Women’s Participation in Peace and Security Initiatives of DR of Congo, and women peacekeepers in the UK.

Naomi has written a trilogy of workshops depicting the pioneering stories of some of her favourite women from Black History – Mary Seacole, Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges – women who made the world a better place. Each workshop includes drama activities to explore the setting, character and action of the story.

The amazing story of Mary Seacole, doctress and businesswoman, who, in response to being told “No she could not”, said “Yes I can” – and she did! Naomi tells the story of Mother Seacole using her medicine box, revealing a chapter in Mary’s life – from her early years in Jamaica to her helping soldiers of the Crimean War.

Dressed as Ms Parks, Naomi tells of the day in 1955 when Rosa decided she would make a stand – or a sit-down – against injustice and racial inequality. She brings the wife, seamstress and civil rights activist to life in front of her audience. The storytelling is accompanied by a drama-based workshop.

In November 1960, Ruby Bridges became one of the first black children in America to be educated in a white school. Naomi loves sharing this story through an array of childhood games and activities, encouraging children to understand the difficulties of life and going to school during this time of segregation.

Different aspects of Naomi’s work as a highly skilled theatremaker – devising, writing and storytelling – combine to create accessible and engaging workshops. Starting with discussion and sharing of ideas, focussing on a either a suggested theme or character, she introduces the craft of writing.

During the pandemic, Naomi developed a creative writing project with residents at the YMCA. In person, she led a series of workshops inspired by her love of poetry. Participants were encouraged and supported to voice the challenges they experienced personally during the Covid crisis and their optimism for the future.

Collaborating with international graffiti artist Pride, Naomi devised a series of workshops including acrostic and blackout poetry, and free-verse writing. The young participants explored feelings about injustices highlighted across the globe, and with Naomi’s support developed the work into their own poetry collection.

At this fully integrated club that caters for young people with special educational needs, Naomi delivered a series of creative writing workshops that formed the initial stages of their play-writing workshops. Together they explored story construction and characterisation, with each participant creating a series of short scenes.