Have you visited Rocket Clock yet?
Rocket Clock is a story slam competition. Ten people each have five minutes to tell a story around a particular theme. Judges in the audience rate each story on both content and performance. Everyone has a great time.
Upcoming Slams
Wednesday February 9, 2011: “Good Intentions”
Wednesday March 9, 2011: “Small World”
Wednesday April 6, 2011: “Lesson Learnt” *Comedy Festival special*
Wednesday April 13, 2011: “Secrets” *Comedy Festival special*
Rocket Clock is not a Vic Guild event but our roving reporter has been along and reports that its loads of fun and very welcoming.
Chloe Boulton is the organaising force behind Rocket Clock. I asked Chloe to tell us the story behind this fabulous event.
In October 2009, I was lucky enough to be in Chicago for work (I run a children's film festival called Little Big Shots and was on my annual film finding mission) when I first saw a story slam. The experience blew me away and my most overwhelming thought was, "why isn't this happening in Melbourne?". When I got home, it was impossible to shake the idea and, though it took me almost a year to start up Rocket Clock, it was never far from my mind. I approached Bella Union about being the venue for the night, as I really like the relaxed feel of their bar and stage, and the Trades Hall building certainly has a strong tradition of storytelling and speeches. The fact that it was also close to the most delicious (hazelnut) gelati on Lygon St was purely a coincidence, I swear! My favourite thing about Rocket Clock is the variety of different people who have come along to tell stories, and the really diverse range of stories that they've told. We love funny people at Rocket Clock, but we're definitely looking for stories, not stand-up routines: something that has a consistent narrative, and a beginning, middle and end. The name Rocket Clock came to me after I was brainstorming different times and places in which people tell stories. I thought of how I loved the Rocket Clock stories on Play School when I was a kid, and liked how that name implied the element of time (as in, each storyteller only has five minutes) and also an element of movement and excitement (that you could never be too sure in which direction the stories were going to take off). It's been fantastic fun so far, and I hope it continues on for a long time.
Check EVENTS under Links on this blog for more details.
