Thursday, March 29, 2012

Weds 2 May 2012 - Roisin Murray + Review of our Grimm Tales

This evening we have professional teller Roisin Murray as our guest, who will  take the second part of the evening to treat us to As Time Goes By. I haven't seen this performance, but from what Roisin has told me it's about growing old disgracefully.....

Roisin Murray





What happens after Happy Ever After, when the bright young things have lived a bit? Does age bring them wisdom, or make them fools? For many the real adventure begins when there is a bit of snow on the roof and the embers are softly glowing, as Roisin will show with these tales of would-be seducers, jealous mothers and canny couples.

“Wonderful stories with a deep message” 
M. Bridges performance of Many Tongues in the Holy Land, University of Derby Multi Faith Centre

“Roisin, I found, had something of the worldly, quirky charm of Pam Ayres, although she looks and sounds nothing like her;”
Nick Quentin Wolf, Writer and Broadcaster 

Roisin runs ASTORy or Two storytelling club in Deal, Kent and got into storytelling after working as an educator and consultant across three different continents. I kept searching for the hidden spark that lit the fire for people. Using stories to help my work, a flash of insight changed my life. Purposeful story IS the spark! I began to work with and sit at the feet of many masters over the years, and now mindfully interweave story with other skills to entertain, educate, coach and help reduce conflict between people. Since then she has used storytelling to help with community cohesion, to build bridges between different faith groups and to aid refugees and asylum seekers as well at to entertain at schools, dinners and clubs.

To find out more about Roisin visit her website:
http://www.morethanstories.org.uk/


Stop Press! Roisin will take the first part of the evening, so make sure to get there in good time so we can try to start at 8pm.




At last nights' gathering (April 18), we honoured the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the Bothers Grimm fairy tales by telling Grimm stories all evening. I wasn't sure about this one, because although there are classics like Hansel & Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin, my impression is that many of the more obscure ones are obscure for a reason!

It was a full house, with ten tales told, and it was a rich mix of surprises, humour and originality as each teller approached their chosen "Grimm" in a totally individual way.  Well done, everyone, for turning up such a good evening (I guess we should thank the Brothers, too) and thanks also to the many new faces who came along.  Why we even had people from as far afield as Ipswich...

Not all tellers got to tell their Grimms, and some of those who did had more than one prepared.  As Roisin will only take the first half of the night on Weds 2 May, we may be able to fit in some of the untold tales after. If you want to do so, contact Dave at: theyarnsmith@yahoo.co.uk

Dave Tonge  & The Gob

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Dame Fortune's Wheel and the Three Estates

Artwork by Jim Kavanagh




On the 28th of March the Undercroft will be hosting an additional performance by one of its regulars, Dave Tonge - The Yarnsmith.

Dame Fortune's Wheel and the Three Estates and is a lighthearted exploration of medieval feudal society - Of the three 'classes' of men and women from long ago. Those who work, those who pray and those who fight. The performance vividly illustrates the ups and downs of people’s lives as they rode upon Fortune’s Wheel. The stories also celebrate the use of the mystical number three, a motif commonly found in many traditional tales. The performance promises a compelling mix of humorous and revealing tales, interwoven with crafty and relevant riddles. Tale telling that brings the long past into the here and now.

As per usual we gather from about 7.30 for an 8.00 start
With a break  about 8.45-9.00 for refreshments from the bar.

Any one wishing to know more about Dave or his storytelling can visit his website at: http://www.theyarnsmithofnorwich.com/

Or contact him directly at theyarnsmith@yahoo.co.uk
or 
07908515766