Lost Souls - an evening of storytelling on the Night of the Dead

by The Oh-Aissieux Sat Oct 27, 2007 18:18

The picture of the three storytellers was taken by Chad Buterbaugh and is used with his very kind permission.
Copyright Chad Buterbaugh 2007.

by be bewared Sun Oct 28, 2007 19:49

All the same nice to see you've put a statutary age limit or prudish haze on your fables.

not suitable for young children.

by The Oh-Aissieux - Narrative Arts Club Tue Oct 30, 2007 17:34

I will be performing solo this time, and the programme will include the following:

Shamanic stories from the Yukaghir (Siberia):
The Shaman and the Bolsheviks
The Demon in the Rafters
The Singing Fish
The Land of the Dead

Evil on the Cliffs - Icelandic story about a priest who tried to root out all evil
Mrs Crozier - Story from my own experience, about a patient who died a gruesome death and came back to haunt me.

Looking forward to a good turn-out for the night that's in it. Lots of interest already.
Coilín.

by The Oh-Aissieux - Narrative Arts Club Thu Nov 01, 2007 00:24

I was getting texts all day from people wanting to book seats. That was a good sign, because I didn't advise anybody to book. The first listener arrived soon after 7 o'clock, and more people began to show up unbooked from about 7.30. So I had a good idea it would be sold out. But I didn't expect people to be standing in the corners and sitting in all the spaces between the seats!

It seems that people had been sending my e-mail notice on to their friends, who sent it on to their friends, and so on ...

The atmosphere was electric. I became nervous, thinking that all these people were waiting to listen to me, performing solo for the evening. I chilled out when I realised that all these people were waiting very happily to listen to me performing solo for the evening.

I gave my dramatic introduction: "On a night when the windows between this world and the next have been torn off their hinges and all kinds of spirits and demons stalk our world in search of prey ..." People went all the way with it.

I invited people to sit on the floor at the front and moved a table to make room for them, but the house poltergeist immediately threw somebody's drink off the table and broke it on the floor. (That reminds, me, I ought to have bought a replacement! Please ask me for it next time.) But my in-house Cockney genie, Dave, had it cleaned up within minutes. Thanks, gov!

The programme went well, as follows:

8.01 sorry for the delay
approx. 8.10 start:
Rane in the forest
The Shaman and the Bolsheviks
The Singing Fish
The Demon in the Rafters
Land of the Dead

8.45 break

9.15 second half:
Evil on the Cliffs
Repo Republican
Bayomi in Baghdad
Mrs Crozier

Thanks to everybody who came and listened so intently, everybody who made comments, and everybody who provided contact details for future events. The story of the beastly ghost of the bigoted Mrs Crozier seemed to be the favourite of several people who made spontaneous comments.

Special thanks to the people who said they were most definitely up for it when I warned them that some of my stuff was very dark indeed! It's good to have informed consent!

And thanks to Dervla for expressing an interest in performing for us some time. Be in touch!

Looking forward to the next time.
Coilín

by The Oh-Aissieux Mon Nov 05, 2007 15:33

... for listing the event.
http://www.eventguide.ie/

by C Murray Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:07

The library extension of the Central Hotel is closed in on two sides by double doors, so if Coilin
scared anyone the sense of claustrophobia did not help. The evening was excellent with good
fresh air (or fag breaks) and plenty of chat. I particularly liked The invitation by Coilin for everyone
to approach someone they did not know and listen to or tell a story during the break (which was
a half hour) was hilarious and yielded interesting tales about school choirs and Irish funerals
as well as stories about Gardai and raids..... The two most interesting tales were, "Mrs Crozier"
and the one about the 'Pussy Fish' . Am not quite sure if the story tellers should be pipe and
slippers or well knit Aran jumpers and stinky fishing boots but I am looking forward to the
next one and seeing some of the new arrivals telling their short tales. T'was a good evening, C,
thanks!

by The Oh-Aissieux - NAC Sun Nov 11, 2007 19:18 narrativearts at gmail dot com 086 060 3818

All very useful comments, Chris.

It's particularly useful to know your favourite stories. A couple of other people said how much they enjoyed the tale of the beastly Mrs Crozier, so it's good to have another vote for her.

And it's very good to know that Pussy Fish appealed to you, as that kind of story involves a certain risk of giving offence. I like to take risks, but I like them to pay off! :-)

Also good to know that you appreciated the timing of the break and made good use of it. Part of what the club is about is bringing people together (what any club does!) and promoting informal storytelling in pleasant surroundings.

Not sure what to make of your thoughts about storytelling costumes:
"Am not quite sure if the story tellers should be pipe and slippers or well knit Aran jumpers and stinky fishing boots "

I think a storyteller should wear something that is comfortable and pleasant to look at, without distracting the audience. In the context of the Library Bar, I think it's good to wear something smart. One of my favourite Danish storytellers, Hans Laurens, usually wears a very fine suit, though without the tie. The kind of suit that makes my mouth water. The kind of suit I want to go out and buy. Grey, with a dark shirt, very easy on the listeners' eyes.

Although I like Aran sweaters, I wouldn't wear one to a storytelling gig, as it would signal traditional Irish themes and clichés, and my vision for the Narrative Arts Club is to break that kind of irrelevant association.

If I were a fisherman, I might find myself wearing an Aran sweater and wellies while telling stories in the pub in Baltimore, but I can't easily see how that would fit in the Library Bar. Anyway, I am not a fisherman, so it would be a kind of a lie for me to wear that kind of garb, and a very particular kind of lie. - I suppose it might fit if I were to tell you whopping tales about my former life as the skipper of a trawler out of Baltimore. But, actually, if I were to do that, I wouldn't need the costume. You would know it was the truth, whatever I wore.

(I never told you about the big French boat that dragged my trawler a half a mile backwards across the Irish Sea and nearly drowned two of my crew. I tore a big hole in my sweater, and damned nearly lost my left hand, wrestling with the cables that night. But I don't like to talk about that in public. It still hurts too much.)

I have also considered wearing full dress - i.e. dinner suit, white shirt and bow tie - to gigs in the Library Bar. How do you reckon that would go down?

Finally, I am also looking forward to seeing some new people performing on the same stage. Talk to me if you are interested.

Thanks again for the comments. Deeply appreciated.
Coilín.

by Dicky Bow Mon Nov 12, 2007 12:09

Maybe C was discussing the atmosphere created by the fishy tales and not the sartorial aspects
of the evening. Please do not wear a dicky bow, even the name gives one the squiggles.

by The Oh-Aissieux - NAC Tue Nov 13, 2007 18:44

For that matter, what's wrong with squiggles?

If I don't give somebody offence sooner or later, I mustn't be taking enough risks!

How come plays can provoke riots in this town, and movies and strip joints can spark pickets, but to the best of my knowledge a storyteller has never yet provoked the most minor demo? Any tips as to how I might remedy that (without injuring anybody and without resorting to racism)?

If a dicky bow will help to generate outrage, I'll definitely wear one!