Getting started again
After an enforced absence of 4yrs (due to carer responsibilities) I am at last getting back to work as The Tintagel Storyteller.
It seems a good moment to start a Storyteller’s Blog.
Of course it is back to square one when it comes to finding bookings. How can I get my name out there once more?
Thinking about my previous experiences, I am aware that I love telling stories to adults; enjoy telling to schoolchildren; and am terrified of trying to tell to the tiny tots – but every time I tell stories in public, some of the audience ignores all the publicity saying ‘ages 5 to 95 yrs’ and assumes that storytelling must be for small children.
As I see the eager little ones in amongst the schoolchildren and adults, my heart sinks. I know they won’t understand my stories – they cannot appreciate the subtleties and humour – they will get restless and distract everyone (including me!) – the parents will blame me for not being the sort of storyteller they expected….
Time to change my approach… and this blog can track my progress.
I have volunteered to be the Resident Storyteller at the local pre-school, telling stories to a small group every Friday afternoon. I will let you know how I get on!
It seems a good moment to start a Storyteller’s Blog.
Of course it is back to square one when it comes to finding bookings. How can I get my name out there once more?
Thinking about my previous experiences, I am aware that I love telling stories to adults; enjoy telling to schoolchildren; and am terrified of trying to tell to the tiny tots – but every time I tell stories in public, some of the audience ignores all the publicity saying ‘ages 5 to 95 yrs’ and assumes that storytelling must be for small children.
As I see the eager little ones in amongst the schoolchildren and adults, my heart sinks. I know they won’t understand my stories – they cannot appreciate the subtleties and humour – they will get restless and distract everyone (including me!) – the parents will blame me for not being the sort of storyteller they expected….
Time to change my approach… and this blog can track my progress.
I have volunteered to be the Resident Storyteller at the local pre-school, telling stories to a small group every Friday afternoon. I will let you know how I get on!
First Session
I arrived early, of course… and started to make myself at home in the designated storytelling area – a soft-play corner with lots of cushions and beanbags. My story props were hidden in a little Fortnum & Masons hamper (the initials F&M on the basket could easily stand for Folk & Myth)
As I was drinking a welcome cup of tea, the door opened and the children made a hesitant entrance – only 6 of them, plus a couple of staff members.
It seemed sensible to start with an old favourite tale, Father Mouse, which I was sure would work for this age group (there is a video extract on YouTube http://tinyurl.com/2f9q7bd and on my website http://www.lamede.com). My white mouse puppet is a firm favourite and, as expected, the children immediately wanted to touch him. I explained that he was going to help me tell a story and one girl said, ‘He’s going to turn the pages.’ I tried to explain that I wasn’t going to be reading from a book, but it was clear that they just couldn’t understand…
....so I started telling the story and it worked pretty well. It held their attention at least, but there was no magic spark between us.
In my preliminary discussion with the school manager, we had agreed that it would be good to include the standard fairy tales in the programme and amongst all my props I had found a Red Riding Hood doll that converted into a grandmother and then became a wolf in Granny’s clothing. Again the story worked pretty well and the children were intrigued by the doll… but still no magic.
The last story of the session was Mighty Mouse, about a little mouse who sets out on a quest to find the deed that she can do to prove to the world what a mighty mouse she really is. For this story I have a really tiny, silky-soft, grey mouse and, at last, there was a hint of magic as they all focussed on the little mouse and followed the story closely.
With relief I bade them all goodbye until the next week.
As I was drinking a welcome cup of tea, the door opened and the children made a hesitant entrance – only 6 of them, plus a couple of staff members.
It seemed sensible to start with an old favourite tale, Father Mouse, which I was sure would work for this age group (there is a video extract on YouTube http://tinyurl.com/2f9q7bd and on my website http://www.lamede.com). My white mouse puppet is a firm favourite and, as expected, the children immediately wanted to touch him. I explained that he was going to help me tell a story and one girl said, ‘He’s going to turn the pages.’ I tried to explain that I wasn’t going to be reading from a book, but it was clear that they just couldn’t understand…....so I started telling the story and it worked pretty well. It held their attention at least, but there was no magic spark between us.
In my preliminary discussion with the school manager, we had agreed that it would be good to include the standard fairy tales in the programme and amongst all my props I had found a Red Riding Hood doll that converted into a grandmother and then became a wolf in Granny’s clothing. Again the story worked pretty well and the children were intrigued by the doll… but still no magic.
The last story of the session was Mighty Mouse, about a little mouse who sets out on a quest to find the deed that she can do to prove to the world what a mighty mouse she really is. For this story I have a really tiny, silky-soft, grey mouse and, at last, there was a hint of magic as they all focussed on the little mouse and followed the story closely.
With relief I bade them all goodbye until the next week.
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