The Vic Guild welcomes Jan Andrews and Jennifer Cayley all the way from Ontario. They will be in town with FOUR shows and some workshops to be enjoyed during the Midsumma Festival.
1. The Book of Spells – A Love Story: created and performed by Jan Andrews and Jennifer Cayley for 2 Women Productions (Ontario, Canada). Jan and Jennifer have traveled widely as leading exponents in the art of storytelling, appearing at festivals and concerts throughout the world with The Book of Spells. Together and apart, they have told from epics such as The Iliad and The Odyssey; Jan headlined the 2008 International Storytelling Festival in Hobart.
Both are honoured to be appearing at Midsumma. Jan and Jennifer were born into a time when lesbians lived secret lives and gay men might be imprisoned; when celebrations of Queer Culture were definitely not on the map. They have come a long way but the journey is only just beginning.
Forty-five Downstairs: 22 Jan 6.00pm
Northcote Town Hall: 23 30 Jan 2.00pm 28 29 Jan 6.30pm
$25 concession and Midsumma members $20. Group (10+) $18
Williamstown Mechanics Institute: 27 January Picnic/reading 6.00 pm. Performance 7.00 pm Free
2. Smarties Sillies and Everything in Between: storytelling for young people (4 -8). Children rejoice as heroes and heroines make short work of any beast or baddie they encounter. The wonder of tales told as they used to be. Stories to be remembered and held in the heart.
3. Homer's Odyssey: not the whole Odyssey but enough to give listeners a full sense of the hero's epic tale. Hear of the enchantress Circe, of the encounter with the Princess Nausicaa whose father will give Odysseus the ship he needs to come to Ithaca, of Odysseus's final, long-sought meeting with Penelope, his wife.
One of the world's great works of literature, presented as intended - as a story told by two tellers who have made it part of their lives.
Hares & Hyenas: 24 Jan 6.30pm $20 concession, Midsumma members or group (10+) $18
4. Be Bold Be Bold But Not Too Bold: (Ages 8 and up.) The magic and wisdom of "once upon a time" made fresh and alive for today. Quests and adventures and good deeds a-plenty. Voyages to distant places, distant times. These are the stories that have been handed down through generations because they help us to live our lives more fully – and because they are lots of fun
WORKSHOPS
So you want to be a storyteller: Two storytellers of breadth and experience, they take participants through the process of finding a story and learning it, conjuring its images and finding the emotional connections that give it power. At the end, more work will of course be needed – but you you will at least know where to begin.
So you want to write fiction: As well as being a storyteller, Jan Andrews is the author of books for young people which have been shortlisted for major awards. She has given countless workshops helping beginners and others open doors in the trade. Jan will offer keys to the basics in writing fiction: character, setting and plot development.
Altona North Library: 17 Jan 1.30 pm
Please check the Midsumma Festival website for any changes in the program, extra details and to read more about Jan and Jennifer.
