Whilst most of us experience storytelling of some kind in our childhood, it tends to be something we stop indulging in as we grow up, turning instead to TV, films and computer games. But are these forms of escapism any more effective? Or are we missing out on a far greater, more personal, interactive experience?
I've been lucky enough to witness storytelling from the lips of a true master, award winning performer Rachel Rose Reid who has captivated audiences the world over; from the Edinburgh festival, to the deserts of Nevada. She currently curates the Bedtime Stories events at boutique hotel 40 Winks in East London.
Were you told stories as a child, and if so, what were your favourites
Yes, I was brought up surrounded by musicians and storytellers from many different countries, which meant I experienced the vibrancy and delight of oral tradition that many of us miss out on in the 'developed' world. I also badgered my parents endlessly, demanding they "tell me stories about when you were little". My dad made up stories about the Zugzug, a creature who lived under the table and ate the crumbs we dropped at dinner, and my mum and me used to take Magic Carpet rides at bedtime: we would shut our eyes and fly over the world and tell each other what we could see.
When did you decide this was what you wanted to do?
When I was young I was not shy to tell stories, but in my teens I became quite quiet.I began to perform on the cabaret circuit in London, writing my own shows whilst still a teen but even then when it came to speaking with the audience I would use newspaper clippings and quotations to read from as I was so nervous of direct communication. My breakthrough story was actually a folktale I found about the importance of being noisy!
Your storytelling is very interactive and often, musical. With such a fabulous voice and stage presence, have you ever considered a career as a singer?
I do use song in my performances, and am dipping my toe back in the cabaret scene, having taken a while a way to nurture my storytelling skills, but even when my shows are full of songs, there's always some story structure, some journey for me and the audience to take.
How do you come up with themes for the Bedtime Stories nights at 40 Winks?And where do you meet the other story tellers you curate?
Naturally some of the themes come from the imaginings of Mr Carter, but we are enjoying encouraging our storytellers to tell us what they'd like to explore with our audience. We tend to have a taste for the dark and magical, erotic and ghoulish, but above all we want to encourage a sincere connection and genuine emotional response to the work of our storytellers. Beneath all the fashionable aesthetic, which some can find intimidating, there's a gentle heart to our gatherings. Or, as Mr Carter would put it, he wants to see people cry.
I know many tellers from the UK storytelling circuit. As it's more a of a folk art, many storytellers do not publicise themselves loudly, or perform much in London, so it's just wonderful to bring them to a room full of story-hungry ears. In the future we'll also be bringing in some much-loved authors to share their own work, whether true life or tall tale, and it will be wonderful for the audience to have an up close experience with them.
I've seen you perform in the Nevada desert at Burning Man, and in a luxury boutique hotel in East London;of all the diverse locations you've performed in, where have you had the best audiences?
It's so wonderful to see them melt. The easiest places are festivals and places like Burning Man, where people have already half taken themselves out of reality and their imaginations are at the ready, and it's also lovely going out to the rural folk and story clubs around the UK. But I also enjoy taking storytelling to the audiences who say they've never heard of such a thing. There are plenty of those in London! When I began this mission, I was quite nervous, but I soon realised that we all love a good story well told, and watching a hardened London audience melt into their imaginative world is a beautiful thing to behold.
You took the Edinburgh festival by storm last year, what are your plans for this summer?
That's nice of you to say, thank you :) I'll be back at the Festival with a show called 'I'm Hans Christian Andersen', collaborating with Phillip Breen, [who's also worked with Stefan Golaszewski and Tom Basden]. I'll also be hosting six late night story sessions on a new venue called The Ark. We'll have special guests, sing some sea shanties together and then imbibe a few late night rum rations!
Any advice to would-be storytellers out there?
Like all other artists, storytellers come in a wide variety of flavours, and you should try to see as many as you can to get a sense of it.
The Society for Storytelling sends out listings. Certain clubs such as Spark and Storynights at Torriano have slots available for the brave, whilst the Crick Crack Club and the Irish Centre in Hammersmith run regular workshops. The thing is, you already tell stories every day. It's just about crafting what you've already got.
The next Bedtime Story nights at 40 Winks will be Midsummer Night Fairytales on 16th and 17th June with Xanthe Gresham and Nell Phoenix. Email info AT 40winks DOT org to book your place.
You can follow Rachel on Twitter as @rachelrosereid or “like” her over on Facebook. You can also read more about her over on her personal website RachelRoseReid.com
If you’re looking for a way to get into exclusive gatherings like the Bedtime Storynights!) we regularly require divine hosts and hostesses who would be happy to dress up, distribute gin and draw people out of their usual conversation topics. Interested? Email mail AT rachelrosereid DOT com for more information.