Places are limited and each course is carefully prepared. We encourage you to review our Terms & Conditions before booking. By booking, you agree to them and to the principles that shape our workshops and gatherings.
Seated lunch | Afternoon tea | Small-group
Led by Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis,
Founders of ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably?’
Hosted by Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Recognise the story that makes you who you are, and learn to share it with clarity, authenticity and confidence.
Explore the power of story through the worlds of film and theatre with writer and mentor Sarah Swords and vocal coach Milly Ellis.
Leave with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper understanding of your own story, and the confidence to tell it in a way that feels natural, engaging and uniquely yours.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Life is full of new chapters. Retirement, a career change, children leaving home, moving somewhere new or simply reaching a different stage of life can leave us surprisingly unsure how to answer one simple question: "Tell me about yourself?"
We all have a story worth telling. Sometimes we simply need the time, guidance and confidence to recognise it.
Throughout this thoughtful and inspiring day, Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis draw on decades of experience in the worlds of film and theatre to help you recognise the thread that runs through your own life.
Sarah introduces the timeless principles of story, exploring the memorable characters and story patterns that have shaped unforgettable films and plays.
Milly then helps you develop the vocal presence to communicate your story with warmth, confidence and authenticity.
Inspired by the way a film trailer captures the essence of a much larger story, you'll learn how to shape a compelling introduction to yourself before developing the confidence to share your wider story in conversations, new friendships, interviews, community groups or wherever life takes you next.
Asterion & Co. will open the day with a Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring one of humanity's oldest ideas: that stories help us understand who we are. Together we'll reflect on the enduring relationship between story, memory and identity, setting the scene for a day of thoughtful conversation and personal discovery.
What you will learn
Discover the enduring power of story and how it shapes the way we understand ourselves and others
Explore classic story archetypes through memorable films and theatre
Recognise the experiences, values and strengths that make your own story unique
Develop greater vocal confidence through breathing, projection and presence
Learn how to introduce yourself naturally and memorably through your own personal "trailer"
Build confidence in sharing your story with authenticity and purpose
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring story, language and identity
Discovering story archetypes through film and theatre
Guided exercises to recognise and shape your own story
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Vocal coaching to develop confidence, clarity and presence
Small-group workshops to refine your story in a supportive environment
Afternoon tea and an opportunity to share your story
What you will leave with
A clearer understanding of your own story and what makes it meaningful
Greater confidence in introducing yourself and connecting with others
Practical techniques for using your voice with warmth, clarity and authenticity
A personal story shaped around your experiences, values and next chapter
A restorative day of reflection, conversation and renewed purpose
Workshop Details
Date: Saturday 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Price: £240 per person
Includes: Full tuition, refreshments throughout the day and a seated seasonal lunch
Booking terms
By booking, you are entering into an agreement with Asterion & Co. in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, including our cancellation policy and course guidelines.
This masterclass combines Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis's expertise from the worlds of film and theatre with Asterion & Co.'s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ philosophy, creating a day of thoughtful reflection, engaging conversation and renewed confidence.
By drawing on the principles of story, character and voice, it offers guests the opportunity to recognise their own story, celebrate the experiences that have shaped them and step into their next chapter with greater purpose and authenticity.
About Sarah Swords & Milly Ellis
Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis have spent decades working at the highest level of the British film and theatre industry, helping writers, actors and directors bring compelling stories and memorable characters to life. Together they have collaborated with internationally acclaimed performers including Dame Helen Mirren, Tilda Swinton, Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Gambon and Dominic West.
Sarah is a writer, director and mentor whose career spans photography, film and script development, including working alongside the acclaimed filmmaker Derek Jarman.
Milly is a highly respected vocal coach whose work with actors, directors and performers has taken her from leading British productions to international film sets.
Together, through their creative partnership Are You Sitting Comfortably?, they combine the power of story with the craft of voice, helping people recognise the richness of their own experiences and communicate them with confidence, authenticity and purpose.
Need accommodation nearby?
Click here for a list of places to stay overnight before or after your course that we know well and would recommend.
Places are limited and each course is carefully prepared. We encourage you to review our Terms & Conditions before booking. By booking, you agree to them and to the principles that shape our workshops and gatherings.
Seated lunch | Afternoon tea | Small-group
Led by Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis,
Founders of ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably?’
Hosted by Neil Crump, Founder of Asterion & Co.
Recognise the story that makes you who you are, and learn to share it with clarity, authenticity and confidence.
Explore the power of story through the worlds of film and theatre with writer and mentor Sarah Swords and vocal coach Milly Ellis.
Leave with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper understanding of your own story, and the confidence to tell it in a way that feels natural, engaging and uniquely yours.
𐡷𐫱𐡸
Life is full of new chapters. Retirement, a career change, children leaving home, moving somewhere new or simply reaching a different stage of life can leave us surprisingly unsure how to answer one simple question: "Tell me about yourself?"
We all have a story worth telling. Sometimes we simply need the time, guidance and confidence to recognise it.
Throughout this thoughtful and inspiring day, Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis draw on decades of experience in the worlds of film and theatre to help you recognise the thread that runs through your own life.
Sarah introduces the timeless principles of story, exploring the memorable characters and story patterns that have shaped unforgettable films and plays.
Milly then helps you develop the vocal presence to communicate your story with warmth, confidence and authenticity.
Inspired by the way a film trailer captures the essence of a much larger story, you'll learn how to shape a compelling introduction to yourself before developing the confidence to share your wider story in conversations, new friendships, interviews, community groups or wherever life takes you next.
Asterion & Co. will open the day with a Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring one of humanity's oldest ideas: that stories help us understand who we are. Together we'll reflect on the enduring relationship between story, memory and identity, setting the scene for a day of thoughtful conversation and personal discovery.
What you will learn
Discover the enduring power of story and how it shapes the way we understand ourselves and others
Explore classic story archetypes through memorable films and theatre
Recognise the experiences, values and strengths that make your own story unique
Develop greater vocal confidence through breathing, projection and presence
Learn how to introduce yourself naturally and memorably through your own personal "trailer"
Build confidence in sharing your story with authenticity and purpose
How the day unfolds
Warm welcome and introduction
Heritage-Inspired Learning™ session exploring story, language and identity
Discovering story archetypes through film and theatre
Guided exercises to recognise and shape your own story
Seated seasonal lunch and time to pause
Vocal coaching to develop confidence, clarity and presence
Small-group workshops to refine your story in a supportive environment
Afternoon tea and an opportunity to share your story
What you will leave with
A clearer understanding of your own story and what makes it meaningful
Greater confidence in introducing yourself and connecting with others
Practical techniques for using your voice with warmth, clarity and authenticity
A personal story shaped around your experiences, values and next chapter
A restorative day of reflection, conversation and renewed purpose
Workshop Details
Date: Saturday 10th October 2026
Time: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: The Old Vicarage, Leigh-on-Mendip, Somerset
Price: £240 per person
Includes: Full tuition, refreshments throughout the day and a seated seasonal lunch
Booking terms
By booking, you are entering into an agreement with Asterion & Co. in accordance with our Terms & Conditions, including our cancellation policy and course guidelines.
This masterclass combines Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis's expertise from the worlds of film and theatre with Asterion & Co.'s Heritage-Inspired Learning™ philosophy, creating a day of thoughtful reflection, engaging conversation and renewed confidence.
By drawing on the principles of story, character and voice, it offers guests the opportunity to recognise their own story, celebrate the experiences that have shaped them and step into their next chapter with greater purpose and authenticity.
About Sarah Swords & Milly Ellis
Sarah Swords and Milly Ellis have spent decades working at the highest level of the British film and theatre industry, helping writers, actors and directors bring compelling stories and memorable characters to life. Together they have collaborated with internationally acclaimed performers including Dame Helen Mirren, Tilda Swinton, Sir Ian McKellen, Michael Gambon and Dominic West.
Sarah is a writer, director and mentor whose career spans photography, film and script development, including working alongside the acclaimed filmmaker Derek Jarman.
Milly is a highly respected vocal coach whose work with actors, directors and performers has taken her from leading British productions to international film sets.
Together, through their creative partnership Are You Sitting Comfortably?, they combine the power of story with the craft of voice, helping people recognise the richness of their own experiences and communicate them with confidence, authenticity and purpose.
Need accommodation nearby?
Click here for a list of places to stay overnight before or after your course that we know well and would recommend.
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