Most of my events in the physical world have been either cancelled or postponed – but I am still hosting and performing in lots of events online!
Taking The Tradition On… Over lockdown I have been hosting a storytelling talk show – this series the theme is ‘Storytellers and the lands they live and walk. Come live on Zoom 8pm first Tuesday of the month, or catch up with past episodes on my YouTube channel, Taking The Tradition On
Get A Word In Online – Second Thursday of the month Get A Word In Edgeways Spoken Word Festival has asked me to host a regular monthly spoken word concert. Join us for an evening of poetry, storytelling, author readings, collaborations and a celebration of the spoken word. These are live events – just like going out to a concert, you will need to get your drinks ready, log in and get comfortable for the start of the concert – we won’t wait for you – and you won’t be able to watch later! You will be able to join in on the chat – and please do applaud our guests and tell them what you think!
BLAST! Beautiful Lies and Startling Truths Performing Storytelling Club – Second Friday every month Incredible storytellers from all over the world in the comfort of your own home. Bring your own drinks and cake and put your feet up for an evening of wonder. Doors open at 7.45pm for an 8.00pm start. Tickets are £5.50 from WeGotTickets.
Thursday 10thDecember, 8pm– Get A Word In Edgeways Online Concert, with British-Bulgarian storytelling company, A Spell in Time; Birmingham Young Poet Laureate, Fatma Mohiuddin and mural artist, Fran O Boyle. https://www.getawordinedgeways.co.uk/explore/online-concerts/2020-12-10.php
Thursday 10thDecember, 8pm– Get A Word In Edgeways Online Concert, with British-Bulgarian storytelling company, A Spell in Time; Birmingham Young Poet Laureate, Fatma Mohiuddin and mural artist, Fran O Boyle. https://www.getawordinedgeways.co.uk/explore/online-concerts/2020-12-10.ph
Friday 11th December, 8-10pm BLAST! Xanthe Gresham Knight – Dea Reckoning. For our ancestors, the rising of the sun, the returning of the moon and the birth of spring were all magical. Goddesses gave a human shape to these wonders – Mayahuel means ‘maguey plant’, Inanna, ‘sky woman,’ Parvati, ‘of the mountains’ and Aphrodite ‘foam of the wave.’All over the world people danced, sang and acted out their goddesses’ stories to persuade nature to keep on doing her thing. ‘Dea Reckoning’ is an oracle inspired show based on 13 goddesses and heroines for the 13 months of the lunar year. The audience will sculpt the direction of the performance by choosing which deities will grace the stage. ‘Gresham unfolds each story like the petals of a lotus. At the end you leave with something beautiful created in your own mind.’ British Theatre Review. Tickets: https://clients.wegottickets.com/event_detail.php?id=509068&type=variant
14th December, Christmas Stories at Worthing Storytellers – I’ll be doing a seasonal story within an evening of midwinter stories with a lovely mix of storytellers. Book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/storytelling-night-christmas-stories-tickets-119547246031
Thursday 17th December – Double Book Launch! Andy Jukes and Ed Gillespie launch Songs of Love and Pan’s Footprints – Fantastic poetry coming your way,: https://www.getawordinedgeways.co.uk/explore/events/
Tuesday 5th January – Taking The Tradition On with …? Exciting plans are developing – will it be a guest from Belgium, New Zealand or Namibia?
Amy Douglas continues her series of storytellers and the lands they live and walk https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81060603065?pwd=TktoTWQxZzdiQ094WHZnVUVEdEo0UT09, Passcode: 74699
Friday 8th January 8.00pm – BLAST! The Meadows of Enchantment – Steve Killick and David Ambrose http://www.wegottickets.com/event/509667
Thursday 14th January, 8pm – Get A Word In Edgeways Online Concert, with Cath Little, Chandrika Joshi, Kurly McGeachie and Lisa Shneidau https://www.getawordinedgeways.co.uk/explore/online-concerts/2020-12-10.ph
Saturday 23rd January, 1pm – Bishops Castle Winter Festival – IN BISHOPS CASTLE NOT ZOOM! – lunchtime stories with Amy Douglas, Sal Tonge, Helen East and Rick Wilson. https://www.artsalive.co.uk/company.aspx?id=5126
2-4 July 2021, Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival, Dinefwr Park, Carmarthenshire, http://www.beyondtheborder.com
9-11 July 2021, Get a Word in Edgeways Festival, Much Wenlock I’ll be discussing and performing work arising from my current Arts Council England bid, digitising reel-to-reels recordings of Duncan Williamson. I’ll be in conversation with David Campbell, talking about our friendships with and stories and ballads from the Scottish Traveller Tradition.
BLAST! Beautiful Lies and Startling Truths
I run a series of storytelling concerts over the winter months in Bishops Castle Town Hall. We are currently hoping we can return to the Town Hall, but if not, we will carry on online. Dates for the storytelling series are included in the list below, usually the 2nd Friday of the month. http://www.bishopscastletownhall.co.uk, Shropshire, SY9 5BG 01588 63002
Friday 11th December– Xanthe Gresham Knight – Dea Reckoning For our ancestors, the rising of the sun, the returning of the moon and the birth of spring were all magical. Goddesses gave a human shape to these wonders – Mayahuel means ‘maguey plant’, Inanna, ‘sky woman,’ Parvati, ‘of the mountains’ and Aphrodite ‘foam of the wave.’All over the world people danced, sang and acted out their goddesses’ stories to persuade nature to keep on doing her thing.
As each country, culture and human being are different, so is each goddess. But they tend to love, represent and symbolise the same things: earth, air, fire, water, snakes and birds to name a few. These symbols overlap, linking the tales of goddesses and heroines in a continuous chain from one generation to the next.
‘Dea Reckoning’ is an oracle inspired show based on 13 goddesses and heroines for the 13 months of the lunar year. The audience will sculpt the direction of the performance by choosing which deities will grace the stage. https://clients.wegottickets.com/event_detail.php?id=509068&type=variant
Friday 8th January – Stories from the Bristol Channel and Beyond – Steve Killick and David Ambrose Pitched sea battles and royal welcomes; pirates and mermaids; sailors and slaves. Strange cargoes, stranger stories and Sabrina, the river Goddess rides the Severn Bore
Friday 12th February – Journeywoman – Amy Douglas. A treasure trove of tapes, a year of listening later, Amy shares her frustration over missing ends of stories; the intimacy of eavesdropping on 50 year old conversations as well as stories, ballads and memories of one of the greatest traditional storytellers, Duncan Williamson
Friday 5th March – Scottish tales of the Supernatural – Heather Yule. A folklorist’s daughter, Heather grew up with Jack, the fairies, water kelpies and music…but these stories are for grownups…an otherworldly adventure of dark tales and bittersweet harp.
Doors open 7.45pm for 8.00pm start
FB: BLAST! Beautiful Lies and Startling Truths www.b-l-a-s-t.co.uk
