Narrative arts workshop proves intimate storytelling fun

dublin | arts and media | news report Tuesday December 02, 2008 21:19 by The Oh-Aissieux - Narrative Arts Club

What's a story? - for all comers

Argentinian, Spanish and Italian as well as Irish participants provided a warm, international flavour at the latest innovative storytelling workshop in the Narrative Arts Club in Dublin on Sunday.

Blanca shows her storyboard

Eight keen international storytellers jumped in to take part in a series of taboo-breaking exercises in eye contact, storyboarding and finally live storytelling performance at the latest workshop in the narrative arts, led by the original Oh-Aissieux in the Library Bar Extension.

Having warmed up with a bout of soft sniggering, lion roaring and cock-a-snoot laughter, the participants lined up for an exercise in intimate eye contact, where ultimately none could keep a straight face.

Having posed that oh-so-easy and yet so tricky question – “What's a story?” – The Oh-Aissieux rolled up his sleeves to demonstrate a simple storyboarding technique to “defrost” the stories that we might find in print, ready to be “cooked up” in a live storytelling show.

After a break for lunch, participants got down to cooking up stories such as Sun and Moon, Even Evil and The Cold of Mayday Morning.

Finally, each stood alone under the overhead lights of this beautiful Victorian venue – the “people’s palace” in the Central Hotel on Exchequer Street – to perform, to submit to the intense listening of a dedicated audience, and to bask in enthusiastic applause, well earned.

The group was lively and diverse, including a scattering of development workers, computer scientists and even a trained dancer who herself runs improvisation workshops for groups in business, the arts and charitable organisations. But, in the end, it was difficult to know who had most fun: the complete newcomers, or the most experienced performer.

The Oh-Aissieux looks forward to hosting another free workshop again any time such a lively group presents itself.