Well I've just about dried and unpacked all my camping gear but as the photos show, the sun did shine some of the weekend at the Welsh International Storytelling Festival at the start of July.
To be truthful it was such a good festival, brimming with tales and talent that the wet weather in the evenings did little to dampen my spirits. Over the weekend a plethora of professional tellers took to the many different venues around the beautiful grounds of St Donat's Castle.Familiar names included Taffy Thomas, Hugh Lupton, Nick Hennesy, Ben Haggerty, Sally Pomme Clayton, Jamie Crawford , Malcolm Green, Xanthe Gresham and Cat Weatheril. It was a delight to pick and choose from such a chocolate box of styles and techniques.
In addition were music, stalls, a few workshops and a particularly interesting panel discussion on the topic of 'Stories for Health' which grabbed my attention straight away, encouraged me and has given me links to follow up for the future. Another highlight was the opportunity to tell myself on the stage of the People's Palace venue, as part of the True Stories Told Live sessions. It was a wonderful experience to tell a personal story in such a programme. The audience were hanging on each tellers words with expectancy and empathy, as real stories about real experiences unfolded, and we shared in 'being human'.
It was great fun to attend the weekend with my story telling buddies from College ~Sonia and Bronia, and meet up with day visitors from other New Forest Storytellers too!
The next 'Beyond the Border' will be in 2014, I'm very much looking forward to going again. I wonder if I'll see you there?...
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| The Beach below the Campsite. |
