THE NATURE OF STORYTELLING

Oral Storytelling has been a passion for the past 5 years or so.  I find it feeds into and enhances the pleasure of writing and allows me the joy of performance, the opportunity to be creative 'live' on stage.

Often when I tell people I'm a storyteller they assume I will be reading to the audience - far from it.  A storyteller has to live her story if it is to come alive for the listener and often the story will change from performance to performance.  A useful analogy might be to think of storytelling as a form of jazz: the heart is always present but the performer will improvise 'on the hoof' - changes often arising from the way the audience is receiving the piece.  For example, if they're not in the mood to laugh, then one would play down the humour.  On the other hand, if they are receptive, the teller can really fly...

Stories

I offer a range of stories to adults and to children - The Lion and the Mouse, How the Cat got its Name, stories about dragons and changelings and all sorts of magic, trickster stories and tales specific to a place...

The cat came fiddling out of the barn,

A pair of bagpipes under her arm....

Well fiddle-me dum and fiddle-me dee

The mouse has married the bumble bee.

So fiddle the cat and pipe the mouse -

A fine old wedding we'll have at our house

To book a performance for children, click here

NANCY THE WATERMAN

In 2005 fellow storyteller Malcolm Busby and myself received arts funding for training with leading storyteller Hugh Lupton.  The outcome was Nancy The Waterman.  Nancy was what one might euphemistically call a 'working girl' in Cambridge during the 19th Century.  Turning her back on her old life she got a job working the waterways and spent many years masquerading as a man before finally marrying her partner and setting up a cookshop on the market square in Cambridge.  

Before long, Nancy's eel stew was famous from one side of the town to the other...

The performance involves the central story of Nancy being woven about with more tales from the region: the sad story of Emma Rolfe, the Werewolf of Dogdyke and The Legend of Bulldog Bridge...

Malcolm & Teresa at Burwell House, Summer 2006

COMING SOON - SCARLET WOMEN

stories for adults only!  Watch this space

Scarlet Women: Cambridge-based trio, Teresa Benison,  Anne French and Marion Leeper: “the hottest thing to come out of Cambridge since records began….Strictly adults only and not recommended for the easily shocked.”

Scarlet Women was born of my love of telling not just to children but to adults also.  In a world dominated by television and film, the spontaneity of telling and responding to an attentive adult audience is second to none.

 Having come up with the idea, I lost no time in inviting fellow storytellers Anne French and Marion Leeper to join me in the adventure.

So, coming to a venue near you….

 Watch this space.

TO BOOK SCARLET WOMEN OR A PERFORMANCE OF NANCY OR OTHER STORIES FOR ADULTS, CLICK HERE

TO VISIT CAMBRIDGE STORYTELLERS' WEBSITE, CLICK IMAGE BELOW

Cambridge storytellers' Newsletter:

Welcome to the September Newsletter.

Welcome to the September Newsletter.  It’s been an eventful few months since our last missive so let’s dive straight in….

 Milton Country Park,  24th April

Despite the dismal weather a good crowd gathered to hear stories in  the park - and almost everybody stayed with us for two hours,  staunchly ignoring the drizzle.  Marion Leeper (wearing her magical  coat), Kati Preston and Peter Hilken told stories,  and Penny  Lutoslawska led some spirited singing,  as we moved from one glade to  another.  "It's a real adventure for my three-year-old daughter,"   said one father.  "Quite wonderful,"  said others. This was a Cambridge Wordfest event.

Arabian Nights – 19th April

For the Cambridge Storytellers' evening of Tales from the Arabian Nights we were invited into a desert tent: the walls of CB2 were draped with embroidered cloths and the air perfumed with sandalwood as five stories unfolded in a well balanced programme.  Malcolm Busby introduced the background story as the Sultan himself, whose decision to slay each wife on a nightly basis was all the more chilling for the  gentle manner with which he justified it The ensuing  stories were told each in a unique and amusing manner by Anne French (modest fisherman and scary genie), Nigel Preston-Jones (faithless wife and gullible men), Richard Savage (donkey and .....sorry I've clean forgotten the story as well although I thought it was brilliantly told!) and Teresa Benison (lucky porter and amorous sisters) respectively.

One of the most enjoyable events I've attended with Cambridge storytellers: and Turkish delight in the interval too! Rowan Wylie

Jamie Crawford - 17^th May

A compelling performance of Waylan gave great insight to both the character and the dark age period of its setting.   For the first time, I felt a sense of the inner mind of a wild character from that age.  His style is totally original - the songs he shared with the audience, his props such as the coat representing the swans' cloaks, his movement amongst the audience, his instruments (including a cow's horn and a piece of plumbing pip) were all used to marvellous effect - an inspiration to audience and would-be tellers alike.  Anne

 Norse Myths - Leper Chapel, 18th June

The Cambridge Storytellers returned to the Leper Chapel onSunday 18th June with their brand new presentation 'Tales from the Norse Myths'. In front of an enrapt  audience, and lit mostly by candlelight, the six performers told their delightful stories with great artistry. This ancient venue, packed to its stone walls, provided a perfect background as each teller in turn rose from the semi-circle and entranced the audience with speech and gesture. Taking part were, in order of appearance, Anne French, Rowan Wylie, Marion Leeper, Nigel Preston-Jones, Teresa Benison and Maddy Tongue. Anne French had organised the evening, and Rowan Wylie was responsible for the music. I feel that the storytellers are going from strength to strength, and I hope this show will run and run. After the event, on this warm summer's evening, the cast enjoyed a glass of wine on the lawn with members of the audience, and especially with Kevin Crossley-Holland, whose edition most of the cast had been using. Alan Tongue

Festival At the Edge:

Music, agroup of mummers enacting a very landlocked version of the battle of Trafalgar, and of course stories, all set in stunning Shropshire countryside -what more could you want? With workshops and story walks, plenty of camaraderie around the campfire, and craft and clothing stalls to browse through, there is more than enough to keep anyone occupied. At least three people from Cambridge were there, and son of Suffolk Neil Lanham went down a treat with tales of Uncle Tickles and Ruby and her Horses. Perhaps we can go there in greater force next year. Anne

And it doesn’t stop there…..

Marion, Anne & Teresa told again at the Cambridge Folk Festival; Anne told for a May Ball; Nigel, Peter & Teresa told in the barn at Wimpole Hall & Malcolm & Teresa did a session at Burwell House.

I’m sure there are other event I don’t know about so if you’ve been storytelling in an interesting setting or have had an enlightening or unusual experience, why not email me the details for inclusion in the next newsletter (teresa@benison-writer.com – or may I be so bold as to suggest you visit me at my revamped website: www.benison-writer.com).

And don’t forget Cambridge Storytellers website which has also been revamped, courtesy of Nigel: www.cambridgestorytellers.com

In the Pipeline:

Ovid: Malcolm will be coordinating/directing a new production of Ovid so if you would like to be involved, do contact him (ItsMalcolm@btinternet.com)

Please be aware that in the event of there being more people who would like to take part than there are places, decisions will have to be made as to who to include.  The committee feels that in fairness to all, priority will be given to those who regularly attend and support Cambridge Story-tellers’ events.

Cambridge Storytellers Mini-Festival

As you may recall, we had hoped to receive arts funding for this.  Alas, this did not come about.  However the committee has decided to go ahead with a somewhat smaller festival which will take place at St. Andrew’s Hall, Chesterton on 23rd-25th March 2007

The festival will include a vibrant mix of guest storytellers, workshops and story-rounds for all. 

So far we have booked Peter Chand, Richard Neville & Neil Lanham.

In addition, Peter will be doing a puppet show & Bible stories on Sunday morning, Malcolm & Teresa will revise Nancy the Waterman.  Also, introducing Scarlet Women – watch this space….

If you have any ideas or suggestions for the festival please contact either Peter or myself (peter.hilken@ntlworld.com; teresa@benison-writer.com).

Forthcoming programme:

Sept 20 – Open Meeting
Oct 18 - Maria Wharton: “Expect a magical evening from this award-winning storyteller”
Nov 1 – Halloween Tales
Nov 15  - Ovid
Dec 6 - AGM & open

 

Don’t forget, if you have news, ideas, reviews of articles for the newsletter, write to me teresa@benison-writer.com