entertainer
and educator
Joanne Edutainment
singer, chanteuse, actress and educatress extraordinaire
The polite ladies of
Saltaire Walks and Talks thrash it out in lockdown
Who is Joanne?
I work as a presenter and a singer.
You may have come across me via one of my three main roles:
Lucienne de Ville (chanteuse)
Pollie Toothill (Victorian tour guide)
J&J Projects for Schools (science presenter)
I live in Yorkshire and travel widely including overseas for my work.
I really love what I do and if you want to find out how I got to this point, just scroll down a bit ...
EDUCATION FUN(!) ENTERTAINMENT
Upcoming Public Events
Easing out of lockdown,
I am still being careful but keeping fit, beginning to be sociable and doing a bit of shopping.
This lockdown time has given me the opportunity to learn some new songs. However ...
... Lucienne de Ville's much anticipated show at Cobbles and Clay has been responsibly
(and possibly compulsarily) postponed.
Lucienne is looking forward to performing again as much as
you are looking forward to seeing her so watch this space.
That will be in the Autumn maybe, but until then, why not ...
Have a soirée chez vous with Lucienne de Ville tonight.
Go to my first song video on YouTube
and play the chansons while enjoying a candle-lit dinner ...
... there are some numbers to dance to too.
À bientȏt, Lucienne.
About me
My background is quite diverse. I've been a Bluecoat Entertainer at Pontin's, a teacher in a Language School in Eastern Europe and worked in a heavy engineering company in Germany which is why I can speak and sing in German!
My singing career began in my early twenties when I toured the Working Men's Clubs, holiday camps and sang at private parties.
I created Lucienne de Ville in 2014. My inspiration came from Lucienne Delyle, a French chanteuse born in Paris in 1900. Like me, she had something of a portfolio career: she was a pharmacist by day.
As Lucienne, I sing in French, German, Italian and English, bringing together my love of languages, singing and entertaining.
Pollie Toothill is another of the characters I play. I am delighted to be one of the professional guides with Saltaire Walks and Talks, founded by the inimitable and inspiring Maria Glot.
When I joined the Walks and Talks team, a friend and historian, Alan Cattell, researched Pollie Toothill from the census records in the 1870s. As Pollie, I guide visitors around Saltaire and share the village and the mill's history and Pollie's own personal story. Find out more on the Pollie Toothill page.
I love being Pollie and can relate to her story now. The history of Saltaire is really fascinating and I love dressing up in a cloak and long dresses of the 19th century.
In 1990 I started work at the University of Bradford. I had a number of roles and eventually became involved in promoting science and engineering at schools in the UK and overseas. Excitingly, this work took me to Botswana, the UAE, the Baltic States and across Europe.
J&J Projects was created in 2015 to continue promoting science and engineering. The scientist behind it is Jack Bradley who is a chartered Mechanical Engineer and we are proud to present real science and real engineering with real engagement and appeal.
J&J is proudly presenting at the Leeds International Festival 2020!
J&J Projects in York, February 2020
building hovercrafts
I really enjoy having a 'portfolio' career which uses the skills and experience gained
from a childhood of acting at Bradford Playhouse through to representing
Science and Engineering internationally.
I am delighted
to bring together subjects I'm passionate about to
entertain, educate,
create fun and
