Many thanks to the storytellers who contributed to our events in the
Newport Folk Festival. Here is glimpse for those of you who couldn't be with us.
Kate Lawrence and Durgah Devi Palanisamy conducted a 90 minute workshop
How to Tell a Folk Tale. And in the evening, workshop attendees had the opportunity to share their stories at
Stories by the Fire.
The Festival had the use of the
Newport Substation, a magnificent industrial building, re-purposed as an arts venue. A grand space for a workshop!
By contrast,
Stories by the Fire took place in the humble wooden Scout Hall over the road.
 |
| Kate, Dee and Jackie |
Kate, Dee and Jackie enjoyed a well-earned glass of wine at the end of the day. When all is said and done, creating welcoming spaces for people to share stories is a lovely thing to do.
Huge thanks to Alex Kharnam and Matt McArthur who lugged lights, helped set up the spaces and generally attended to organising the spaces, as well as telling stories.
And massive thanks to Fionnula Smyth who heated soup, buttered bread, brewed chai, washed cups and pots and generally kept the kitchen in order so the guests at
Stories by the Fire would have full stomachs as well as full hearts.
 |
| Fionnula and Jackie |
 |
| Nicola Johnson, Stephen Whiteside,Maggie Sommerville, Alex Kharnam. Alan and Dave Davies |
Others of our storytelling telling family were kept busy with rhyming verse. What Australian folk festival would be complete without without a little comic verse? In a session called
What Rhymes with Funnybone, Alex joined Dave and Alan Davies, Stephen Whiteside and Maggie Sommerville with a mix of trad and original poems.
And that is the end of the winter festivals for us. Its been a busy few weeks for the storytellers!
