Winter 2012 - Sophie Snell and Irish Tales

On November 7th we have the fantastic Sophie Snell coming to the Undercroft and she'll be telling her 'Seven Deadly Sins':

Sophie Snell

“Bless me Father, for I have sinned!” A young girl hiding in the confessional overhears her neighbours’ confessions. As she listens with growing unease, stories unfold that should never be told…  At turns dark and comic, be prepared for thrills and spills on this rollicking ride through the Seven Deadly Sins!

"A very expressive performer…  Viscerally thrilling… intellectually satisfying.  Recommended."  

Stephanie Billen, Chairman - Buxton Festival Fringe, re  'Seven Deadly Sins' July 2010.

"To possess that charisma, that energy, that memory! Spellbinding and better than any film or TV... a beautiful piece... Fantastic evening - wonderful!" 

Amanda Bowman, BBC Radio Nottingham, SDS Notts Libraries StoryFest, March 2010.

  

Sophie is a leading light of the Derby Flying Donkeys and is a performance storyteller known for her warm, engaging and animated style of storytelling and a deliciously wicked sense of humour.  She has a wide repertoire of tales from around the globe, but a particular interest in the lesser known folk tales of the British Isles – quirky, fun, fantastical, tales that twist and turn and quickly hook and hold the audience - whether adult or children.  Sophie performs and leads workshops in schools, libraries, festivals, storytelling clubs, tourist and arts venues.  

 

I for one can recommend Sophie and I've never seen a storyteller who inhabits their stories quite like she does!  Dave Tonge - The Yarnsmith

For more info about Sophie visit her website: www.sophiesnell.co.uk

If that wasn't enough to give you palpitations, on December 5th two of our regulars, Jim Kavanagh and Liam Carroll will be telling some of their favourite Irish tales:

 
Liam Carroll

Jim Kavanagh*

Whose Bull Is It Anyway?

A prelude to The Tain Bo Cuilagne: the oldest tale in Europe, of mighty deeds & daring cattle raids in ancient Ireland, with talking eels, a thirsty corpse and a warrior Queen so shameless & dangerous you'll be needing a drink yourself before the tales even begun...

Jim and Liam  have a common interest in the mythology of Ireland, and have put their heads together to present a selection from this vast body of fascinating archaic lore.  Written down by Irish monks as far back as the 700's, these tales are believed to originate from much older oral traditions, providing a glimpse into the society of Celtic warrior aristocracy which never came under the direct influence of Rome.  They crackle with a rich imagery & energetic magic from a world where the written word never took hold, and is almost totally beyond our modern sensibilities.  You'll definitely be needing a pint...

Jim and Liam will be telling an hour long set so there will still be time for tales from the floor. Be sure to come early and put your name down if you wish to tell, lest Jim have your guts for garters..

For more info about Liam visit his blog page here..

*Alas we have no details about Jim, so he will just have to remain an enigma...

Dave Tong - The Yarnsmith

Taster storytelling workshop at the Undercroft

As you can see from our header our next storytelling gathering takes place on November 7th when we will be joined by Professional Storyteller, Sophie Snell.

Although prior to that we are also running a one off workshop aimed at both beginners and those with some storytelling experience. It's going to be an informal gathering at the Undercroft on October 17th and will run from 8.00 till 10.00ish with a 15 min break thrown in for good measure.

As I said it's a taster session with some of the regulars sharing their tips and tricks on many different aspects of storytelling including, voice, facial expression, gesture, movement and also how to both adapt and remember stories. There will be some practical exercises and games included in the session and if there is time participants may well have the chance if they wish to tell at the end of the evening. Stories will be provided, but by all means bring a short tale with you!

A list of useful books and websites will also be provided and if successful we will be offering more focused sessions in 2013.

For more information and to book a place on the workshop contact theyarnsmith@yahoo.co.uk