South London Storytellers: from page to stage and screen with Caleb Azumah Nelson, Nathan Bryon, Yolanda Mercy + Natty Kasambala – Streamed as-live

Join online for a lively discussion with some of South London's brightest young writers, exploring how the local area shapes their work.

The title Deptford Literature Festival in chunky black lettering outlined in bright yellow, sits on a background in pink and pale pink. It’s an illustration that includes an image of a hand with a pen, a closed fist, and the words ‘whose stories are told?’, ‘resistance’, ‘community’, and ‘history’.

Free to attend. BOOK VIA EVENTBRITE HERE. 

Join us online for an inspiring conversation with four of South London’s most exciting writers. Journalist and cultural commentator Natty Kasambala chairs this lively discussion featuring Caleb Azumah Nelson, award-winning novelist whose work has been optioned for television, Nathan Bryon, celebrated children’s author and screenwriter, and BAFTA-nomianted writer and playwright Yolanda Mercy. Together, they’ll explore how their craft intersects and how South London has influenced their stories.

This event listing is for the livestream of this event. For tickets to the in-person event, please visit: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/south-london-storytellers-from-page-to-stage-and-screen-tickets-1146747776469

Please note the online recording of this event will be live for 1 month after first broadcast.

Access information:

  • This stream will be captioned.
  • If you require additional access provision in order to attend or take part in the Festival, for example, larger print handouts at workshops, or a scribe, please get in touch before the Festival day at: [email protected]

For more information about the access provision available, please visit: spreadtheword.org.uk/access-at-deptford-literature-festival

MORE INFORMATION AND BOOK TICKETS VIA EVENTBRITE

About the artists

Caleb Azumah Nelson

Festival artist


See More

Caleb Azumah Nelson is a British-Ghanaian writer and photographer living in South East London. His first novel, Open Water, won the Costa First Novel Award and Debut of the Year at the British Book Awards, and was a number-one Times bestseller. It was also shortlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award, Waterstones Book of the Year, and longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and the Desmond Elliott Prize. He was selected as a National Book Foundation '5 under 35' honoree by Brit Bennett. His second novel, Small Worlds, was published in 2024 and won the Dylan Thomas Prize.

Yolanda Mercy

Festival artist


See More

Yolanda Mercy is an Award Winning British Nigerian writer and performer from London. Her TV writing work has been has nominated for a BAFTA, WGGB and Broadcast Award. She also won the Edinburgh TV festival/New Voices Award "Debut TV Writer award". Yolanda originally began creating work within theatre, and has expanded her practice to TV, film and Audio. Her passion and talent in crafting stories has led Yolanda to be invited into writers rooms, as well as book adaptations. She is currently developing her debut feature film which was originally commissioned by Netflix, alongside original projects for TV, theatre and dance. In 2024 Yolanda returned to Edinburgh fringe with her new solo show FAILURE PROJECT, which won the prestigious BESTIE award for “Solo award”, received glowing reviews from the Guardian and Scotsman, had sold out performances, plus will be transferring to London in Spring 2025 ahead of its national and international tour. Failure project is published by Nick Hern Books.

Nathan Bryon

Festival artist


See More

Nathan Bryon is an actor, a BAFTA nominated writer and a Sunday Time Best Selling Author. Nathan's first book Look Up! (2019) was no.1 picture book from a debut author and illustrator in 2019, on the Sunday Times Bestseller list, and Won the Waterstones Children’s book prize in 2020. He has since published Clean UP! (2020) and SPEAK UP (2023). Nathan’s debut feature film RYE LANE (2023) received 16 BIFA nominations, more than any other film. Nathan is developing a middle grade book and numerous projects for film and TV.

Natty Kasambala

Festival artist


See More

Natty Kasambala is a London-based writer, director and strategist, curious about all things arts, culture and human. Previously Music Editor At-Large at Dazed, her work has appeared in titles including Vogue, i-D, The Face, The Guardian and Evening Standard and published by Harper Collins and Hachette.