Susanna Hamnett

29/05/2026

Dear friends, I've created a Crowdfunder for my new show, Mrs Macbeth, to help with its development and rehearsal and its six performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August. If you feel moved and are able to support this in any way - through a monetary contribution of even a few pounds or dollars, or by sending your thoughts and good energy - everything will be so gratefully received and put to the best use! I am very excited indeed about this piece - it feels fiercely relevant and apt to the times we are living in. A terrifying, tender, raw, complex (and sometimes even humerous) story for right now. Thank you so much for the great gift of your support in all the ways and always. x x x

Can you help to support Mrs Macbeth - a brand new play by Susanna Hamnett - and its first performances at the Edinburgh Fringe this year?

10/05/2026

Such a glorious two days at The Nutshell in Wi******er.

A packed-to-the-rafters performance of Nearly Lear on Friday, and today - a day of sublime foolishness and play with fourteen intrepid and beautiful clown-souled humans who opened their hearts and dove into the unknown.

Thank you with all my heart to the fabulous audience for Lear and to the fabulous
workshop participants, and to The Nutshell for hosting us: to Noël and Harriet for inviting us into their gorgeous venue, and to Katy for beautiful lighting, and Laurence for looking after us throughout.

The Nutshell is a most incredible gem in the heart of the city, offering an extraordinary and gloriously diverse program of events, and it was a joy to be a part of it all. I have such deep admiration for the energy and vision of the two incredible women at the helm and their team. Huge thanks to you all ✨✨✨

04/05/2026

Nearly Lear ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One show only!
This Friday May 8 at the beautiful Nutshell Theatre in Wi******er at 7.30pm

Followed by Introduction to Clown workshop on Sunday May 10 from 10am to 2pm

‘More wit, mischief, and sheer playfulness than you can legally pack into 80 minutes of live theatre’
(Thank you, Aberdeen Press and Journal!)

More information and tickets here:

https://discardednut.co.uk/thenutshell/whatson/nearly-lear

https://discardednut.co.uk/thenutshell/whatson/clowning-workshop

24/04/2026

From one my favourite books on clowning:

‘Laughter actually helps purge toxins from the body. The more you purge these toxins, the healthier you’ll be. The healthier you are, the longer you’ll live. So, obviously, the more you laugh, the longer you’ll live’’

Which means that clown workshops are, in fact, longevity elixirs!

I’m teaching a clown workshop on May 10th in Wi******er. Do come along and play and laugh and discover how you feel!

This workshop is held alongside a one-night only performance of Nearly Lear - for details and single-event tickets or ticket bundles visit: www.thenutshellwinchester.com

The above quote is from Discovering the Clown by Christopher Bayes

21/04/2026

With huge gratitude for this beautiful image by Juliet Mary Larken, Mrs Macbeth is now officially up and on sale for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August!

Here we go - headlong into the murky madness of Macbeth and told through a rather different lens…

Nervous, excited, and looking forward so much to sharing more as this new piece unfolds and reveals itself over the coming months…

If you hear everything and say nothing, does that make you complicit? From multi award-winning writer and performer Susanna Hamnett (Nearly Lear, Hotel Elsinore), Mrs Macbeth is a new solo show exploring the complexities of integrity in dark times. Set in the aftermath of Macbeth's fascist rule, exp...

12/03/2026

Introduction to Clown Workshop!

I’m thrilled to be teaching this introductory workshop at the beautiful Nutshell Theatre in Wi******er.

The workshop is presented alongside a one-night only performance of Nearly Lear.

Details and dates below!

CLOWNING WORKSHOP

29/01/2026

Somewhere in and amidst all these papers and scribblings, there is a new play, longing to come out and - well, play!

How privileged I am in these times to have 10 days in this creative sandbox with the muse and the mess. Daring to believe that it matters.

04/01/2026

‘The Fool, wearing their beautiful clothes of love…’ Cecil Collins, The Vision of the Fool.

Some images from yesterday’s joyful woodland photoshoot with the wondrous Juliet Mary Larken, who styled and photographed it all with such beauty and contagious fun.

This is the beginning of quiet, excited preparations for a new year of clown-suffused work: a new show and the first of a series of workshops to begin in the Spring.

I look forward to sharing more in the coming weeks as the work (and play) unfold!

29/07/2025

Giffords Circus. Saturday night in the middle of a field in the Cotswolds. Such skill and silliness and heart and joy. More evidence - as if we actually need more evidence - of the power of performance to bring us together, buoy us up, to enchant and infuse us with magic and hope.

08/07/2025

What a week! Eight shows and a load-in in five days - and how wonderful it was!

Lily MacGregor, Joshua MacGregor, and Steve MacGregor - you are a dream team. I could not be more proud of what you brought to the show, how it grew and deepened over these five days, of your shining talent.

Huge thanks also to Grindrod for the fabulous lighting.

Riverside Studios, you are the best - we absolutely love being there with you. Thank you for every drop of support in every way.

And thank you with all our hearts to everyone who came out to support us. It was the most extraordinary and magical weaving of connections and goodness ✨✨✨