What could possibly link these things ? I hear you ask
and the answer of course is True Stories Told Live Cardiff.
We started our evening looking for more chairs to accommodate the 60 or so people crammed into Kemi’s Cafe. It seems word is out about the wonders of pre-industrial entertainment.
Chairs in place it was on with the stories…
Cynthia had travelled all the way from Stroud to tell us a terrifying tale of being on midnight watch sailing through mountainous waves in the north sea. Her mix of physicality and poetry, with the captain shouting to be heard above howling winds as oil rigs loomed out of the darkness was mesmerizing. Allison’s journey, hitchhiking with her friend Belsen across ireland made for a hilarious but edgy story as their manic driver revealed more and more of himself hour after hour before screeching to a halt, presenting them with giant bunches of spring onions and abandoning them on a dark lane. Strange but true.
Charlotte Greig told a beautiful story of love at first sight, a sad parting and a deathbed reunion. She then sang her song Vine Leaves about a strange revelatory dream featuring her former love (Charlotte’s music is available here http://www.charlottegreig.com/)
After a short break Andrew took us inter-railing to Paris (with his 21 yr old student self) where a chance encounter with a beautiful Norwegian woman lead to light petting, romantic comedy sightseeing montages and a partial re-enactment of Les Amants du Pont Neuf. As if that wasn’t enough he even ended with a joke!
Our evening was brought to a close by Wally an enthusiastic young teacher brought low by the drudgery of rigid lesson plans and form filling. Imagine if your primary school teacher had set times tables to Michael Jackson’s Beat It, split the class into opposing gangs and encouraged you to go head to head in a musical multiplication rumble. If only all teachers could be as hilarious and inspirational.
Upstairs at Kemi’s was buzzing long after the stories ended and once again we traveled home feeling we’d done a good thing. Five great true stories that may never have been told are now out there hopefully being retold by our enthusiastic and attentive audience. Thanks to all of them (you), to our story tellers and to Kemi for a perfect venue.
Hope to see you on April 11 same time and place
Steve
