My performances are variously described
with words such as “participative”,"animated”, “playful” and “dramatic”… They
tend towards a certain pattern which starts
with my carefully orchestrating a genuinely friendly atmosphere,
in which everyone
can relax.
Then,
after establishing that in the storytelling space/arena all
voices are equal, and all
have an equal right to be heard, I float the suggestion that
storytelling is the art of talk…that
it is the phenomenon of talk that is really the basic raw material
of all storytelling.
In this way, I try to encourage an attitude of personal competence
and shared responsibility for the
event, with the typical result that the floor soon becomes
a forum, where all comers feel they can freely breathe and
grow.
Finally,
out of the ensuing banter and discourse, the story is molded.
Here, I draw upon the age-old craft of the storyteller, selecting
from an extensive cross-cultural repertory
the fittest material for the occasion. As silence descends, I
endeavor to entice
my listeners into sharing the imagined world of the emerging
tale.
LEO TAKES THE FLOOR [name changed as per child protection]
|
My repertoire comes from worldwide sources, both ancient and
modern. I tell folk
tales, legends, fairytales, myths, urban myths, fables, nursery
tales, jokes, anecdotes,
rhymes, riddles, and include poems, music, songs and chants
in my repertoire.
Sometimes I might introduce the live music of a bowed psaltery,
a fiddle,
a drum, a jaw’s harp, a recorder… to augment the
atmosphere.
The cloth is cut to suit all ages, all purposes, all themes
and all seasons.
The following piece was written
by a Year 8 student from Madeley High School,
Staffordshire – 2001, following a visit to their school.
LENNY RAP
Lenny - he told stories
Stories in the oral tradition
Lenny - he told stories
We all went to listen.
Lenny came in
Came in - to our school
Lenny came in
He was so cool!
Lenny sat down,
Sat down on the table
Lenny sat down
And began with a fable.
Lenny played
Played us a tune
Lenny played
The story came soon.
Lenny told us
Us - Year 8
Lenny told us|
I couldn't wait!
Lenny explained
Explained superstition
Lenny explained
We all sat to listen.
Lenny has talent
Has talent that's great
Lenny has talent
It meant we were late.
Lenny surprised us
Surprised us - and his cat!
Lenny surprised us
And that was that.
