SHEILA Hannon is a phenomenon – a one-woman theatrical powerhouse, who for 40 years has been creating theatrical events in Bristol and Bath with her Show of Strength Theatre Company.

This year she is one of the 10 finalists for Visit England’s Tourism Superstar award. Sheila has been nominated by Visit West and thoroughly deserves the accolade.

If you have ever been to one of Sheila’s many productions, plays and theatre walks in the streets of Bedminster, in shops in Wells, around the ancient pubs of Bristol’s King Street and docks area or other unconventional spaces, you will know that she brings imagination, energy and huge theatricality to places you thought you knew.

You can vote for her on the Visit England website – voting closes on 22nd March. https://www.visitbritain.org/working-us/visitenglands-tourism-superstar-award

Meanwhile, Show of Strength is celebrating its big 40th anniversary by “making an exhibition of ourselves,” with 40 years of posters, fliers, photos, films, recordings, programmes and more – and possibly a performance or two – in The Pit at Totterdown from 17th to 19th April.

The company started in 1986 with Double Vision, aboard MV Thekla on The Grove, recently arrived in Bristol and captained by Pamela Longfellow and Viv ‘Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band’ Shtanshall. The Thekla is still there – and so are Show of Strength.

Starting in April, this year’s nine theatre walks are: Crime and Crinolines in Clifton, Cary Comes Home (about Cary Grant), Blood and Butchery in Bedminster, The Frankenstein Experience, in Bath, the Treasure Island Story Walk (around Bristol Docks), Blood, Blackbeard and Buccaneers [you may be starting to see a pattern here], Saints and Sinners in St George, Kings and Commoners in Kenysham and Magic and Mayhem in Medieval Bristol.