Greg Truckell tells exotic tales drawing on his adventures in North and West Africa, often involving his audience with dance, drumming, costume and language.

Favourite stories feature clever heroes, the triumph of brain over brawn and the power of imagination. Moral tales also examine how we view material things, ownership and property, showing that what a person has in their heart is more important than material possessions. A great believer in the unbelievable, an advocate of unreliable narrative, Greg tells stories which are all quite true – that is to say, they contain great truths. They show, for example, how Scotland and Africa are exactly alike, and completely different, at the same time.

Greg is at home working with children, youth groups, families and special needs groups of all ages, at private social functions and corporate events. He particularly enjoys working with mixed age groups across as many generations as possible. Born and raised in South West Scotland, Greg spent his younger years listening to tales from his uncle, the late Alfred E. Truckell, self-trained archivist and museum curator.

Greg studied Philosophy and Literature, and has worked as a musician and technical journalist. In 1999, Greg began to travel and explore which bore his storytelling persona – Stripey Dog, traditional African storyteller and drummer. With the gentle guiding hand of the understanding Lady Elaine, Greg is also quietly developing a delightful dramatic repertoire of erotic fairy tales and fantasies, for a discerning audience not afraid to blush in polite company.

Greg tells traditional and original stories anywhere; schools, colleges, community and resource centres, restaurants and pubs, festival tents, and outdoors, from the streets of Ecclefechan, to campfires near Timbuktu.

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