Mike Akers wrote his first play ‘Holding Hands With Angels’ over 20 years ago. Since the he has had more than thirty plays commissioned and produced by companies including Bristol Old Vic, Salisbury Playhouse, Travelling Light, Polka Theatre, Green Ginger, Sixth Sense, Myrtle Theatre Company Theatre West and Kazzum. He has worked regularly with renowned director Sally Cookson on shows including Boing! (winner of the 2017 Offie for best production for young people) and a trio of highly successful Bristol Old Vic productions, Treasure Island, Peter Pan and Jane Eyre, the latter two of which have both enjoyed huge critical acclaim on their transfer to the National Theatre. Mike has also worked extensively as a dramaturg supporting theatre companies in devising new work and acting as a mentor to other writers. He has a long history of working with young people, both as a writer, a teacher and in the pioneering work he has done with Sandra Barefoot and Sarah Moody exploring non-verbal storytelling in Early Years settings.