Rain, Bicycles and Storytelling

As per usual I have really taken my time putting this together but this is not a reflection on the performances; they were so good that they are still impressed on my memory 3 weeks later.

I had the great pleasure of being invited to TailSpin's, ‘Night of the Storyteller’ at The Miller Pub, London. It is held on a monthly basis and features storytelling from a number of actors musicians around a central theme; this time it was rain and bicycles (that most common of themes!). Being a little early I popped round the corner for some food and discovered the joy of, AbStarv but that is a story for another time. The Storyteller venue is upstairs in a pub enabling that most wonderful combination of, food delivered to table and excellent entertainment to combine in glorious harmony; I know that sounds like hyperbole but it is the truth. I sat eating my mini-carrot cake in anticipation, admiring the ‘rain’ and intrigued by what would follow.

(photo credit: B. Sherlock)

First up was Seán O’Shah who told us a tale of epic proportions, of a brilliantly gory princess forced into marriage. I really loved the playful way Seán interacted with the trope throwing in some gritty and downright hilarious realism to boot. I think more heroines should be built like Seán’s; she would have been most at home with Sanders’ Snow White.

In the interlude there was musical entertainment covering the contents of one’s mind whilst thinking in a conservatory during the pouring rain, and we were straight on to story 2. Another epic tale this time of a princess locked in a tower. Nothing unusual about that I hear you cry, but does your maiden have; an unexpecting poor man fall asleep in the carcass of a bull, who is then carried to the tower, and the pair fall immediately in love much to the horror of her royal father?! Yeah, I didn’t think so!

The real pièce de résistance was the story of Anansi the West African spider performed by the magical Cat Gerrard and Bel Sherlock. These two have got great imagination in the way they produce pieces and they are so entertaining, Cat’s story-telling education is patently obvious. Bel and Cat brought a cast of spiders to life on stage; and you know I could actually see this Trickster-spider, his wife and the fields where they waited for rain. What really stood out for me was the multi-sensory experience, they danced, they sang, they jumped and they even played a bicycle. Yes, you did read that right, Bel used a bike as percussion; everything from the thudding of inner-tubes for rain to knocking on main-frames. The bike, which Bel uses every day to get to work, was well and truly explored; I am quite intrigued to know how she discovered the under-side of her bike made such noises! The use of common instruments for extraordinary use in this production was reminiscent of Young’s adaptation of The Old Man and the Sea.

(my photo of Bel and bike, 'Trevor')

This night was great entertainment and good value at just £5, the next Night of the Storyteller is Thurs 21^st June - its going to feature cross-dressing Norse gods, needless to say it is going to be entertaining, and it is in my diary!