Colford Festival of Words

On Tuesday night the so called Newent Storytellers arrived as a coven and told stories at the Garden Cafe. This was part of a regular event that takes place every second Tuesday of the month to raise funds, awareness and find talent for the Festival of Words that will take place in Colford in August 2010. Local poets, authors, song writers, musicians and storytellers all have there time to perform. Last Tuesday was the night for storytellers.
I told a story written by Fi Benson, local scribe, called the 'Water Wheel'. Its a collaborative work Fi and I are doing for our local museum for Halloween.
It's a different process turning a freshly written story, (so fresh that the ink still seems to be wet) into an oral piece. Tuesday was the first time I told it and I have not managed to make it my own yet. Fi understands the storytelling process and how it is different to reading out load. She has given me the story as a gift to make it my own, which is a great present to have. I still have a lot of working and walking to do with this story and I'm looking forward to the process: Stripping down and building up and stripping down and building up. I know if I stray too far from the original story Fi's lilting North East England accent will keep me from straying too far.
If any one would like to share any thought on turning a newly written story into an oral work I would be glad to hear from you
I'll keep you posted on the process. Next performance at Dean Heritage Museum on Halloween 4.30 pm