Abbey Grounds at Strata Florida

On Sunday 10 June, 2012 at 11am you’re invited to a free story walk around the grounds of Strata Florida abbey Ystrad Fflur, the place where Culhwch and Olwen, the source story for Hunting the Giant’s Daughter, found its way into written form in the mid-fourteenth century. Thanks to the written version, the story passed into our own time enabling Michael, Lynne and Stacey to reinterpret and share it, first as Culhwch and Olwen, then as Hunting the Giant’s Daughter, with thousands of people through live performances over the past nine years.

This free story walk will move between archeological and creative interpretation, as Michael, Lynne and Stacey and archeologists working at Strata Florida take you on a two hour stroll through the surroundings of the abbey, sharing songs, music, storytelling and historical perspectives.

The walk is part of a weekend offering of free events, open archeology digs and opportunities to enjoy the rich cultural heritage being uncovered through an ongoing project led by a team based at the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David.  It’s also part of the current tour of Hunting the Giant’s Daughter, funded by Arts Council Wales, which is following sites of special significance to the story.  On Saturday 9 June the show is performed in St Mary’s Church in the grounds of Strata Florida Abbey.  The next performance takes place at the Willow Globe theatre, near Carngafallt, where Arthur’s dog is said to have left a pawprint when racing through.

Culhwch and Olwen survived in written form in two manuscripts, one of which, The White Book of Rhydderch, Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch was copied by Cistercian monks working at Strata Florida abbey. The manuscript was commissioned by Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llywd, who came from a family with a long history of literary patronage. Now housed in the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth, the manuscript shows evidence of the hands of five different scribes.   You can look at it here.

Research is ongoing at Strata Florida led by Professor David Austin, uncovering many layers of myth and history which have influenced the landscape over hundreds of years. Archeologist Dr Jemma Bezant is exploring the relationship between landscape and myth, using landscape archeology, in an Archeology of the Mabinogion project.

Martin Locock who is the Senior Project Officer at Strata Florida wrote the following poem in response to looking at the medieval manuscripts created by the monks at the abbey, intrigued by the contrast between the beauty and elegance of their final product – historical records of early Wales, court poetry, Mabinogion stories and the gospels – and the mundane circumstances of the workplace.

Scribe and Scripture

I smooth the soft vellum
Sunlight warms the cloister
I mark the lines with pin pricks
My calloused feet are cold
I mix the bitter ink
To the sound of distant woodfelling
I choose a goose quill
A yeasty scent blows from the frater
I cut the nib to a point
The others bend over their desks
And I begin to write
“To the Glory of God…”

We’d love you to join us for this free story walk – to book a place or for more information call 01570 424756.  Strata Florida abbey is in Ceredigion, mid Wales, one mile East South East of Pontrhydfendigaid.  More information to be found here.

Hugh Lupton

Hugh Lupton, Nick Hennessey, John Dipper and James Patterson in association with Adverse Camber present an evening of stories and music at mac Birmingham on Sunday 22nd April at 6pm.

Shared Ground, New Horizons offers a rare glimpse into a new work at its earliest stages. Join four outstanding artists, with shared passions in story, song and music as they take the first step in an exciting creative journey together. This evening sharing will run from 6pm to 8pm with an interval and takes place in the main theatre at mac Birmingham.

Hugh Lupton and Nick Hennessey are joint creators of The Liberty Tree, commissioned by Festival at the Edge, celebrating English traditions of dissent. They each have an impressive repertoire of collaborative and solo work, drawing on historical, epic and imaginative material. James Patterson is an acclaimed folk singer, veteran of numerous UK folk festivals and partner in several musical collaborations, including Patterson Jordan Dipper. John Dipper is a violinist and composer, steeped in English folk traditions and a member of Methera and the English Acoustic Collective, two innovative ensembles at the vanguard of England’s acoustic movement.

Join them for the culmination of a weekend of creative work, an evening of stories, music and song springing from collaboration. This event is generously supported by mac Birmingham as part of an ongoing partnership between mac Birmingham and Adverse Camber.

Tickets are priced £5 and available now from mac Sales and Information on 0121 446 3232 and can also be booked online here.

Daniel and Oliver in full flow

Sleeping Beauty and Alcestis, created and performed by storyteller Daniel Morden and musicians Oliver Wilson-Dickson and Dylan Fowler, is an evening of four stories, beautifully told through storytelling and music, a perfect mood-setter for the week before Christmas.

“Moving, passionate and vital,”
The Times

Forget any hint of panto kitsch, Sleeping Beauty is a powerful, magical tale of death and rebirth. Award winning storyteller Daniel Morden breathes new life into this most haunting of tales, telling it alongside the Greek myth of Alcestis, awakening a frisson of resonances between the stories. Oliver and Dylan’s heart-stopping original music, specially written for this piece and performed on violin and guitar, stirs the emotions in each tale, adding drama and atmosphere. Take a couple of hours off the pre-Christmas frenzy and soak up these glorious stories, starting the festive season as you mean to go on!

These two special events are suitable for adults
and everyone over the age of 12.

Presented by Adverse Camber in association with Derby LIVE and Derby’s storytelling club Flying Donkeys on Wednesday 14 December, 2011
Weds 14 December, 7.30pm
Darwin Suite, Assembly Rooms
Tickets £10 (£8 concessions)
Box Office: 01332 255800
Or click here to book online

and on Thursday 15 December, 8pm
Foyle Studio, mac Birmingham
Tickets £10 (£7 concessions)
Sales and Information: 0121 446 3232
or click here to book online

For more information and to hear an audio clip from the show, visit here or call Adverse Camber on 0775 352 8919. Hope to see you there!

Olwen Wood near Lampeter

On Saturday 8 October at Aberystwyth Arts Centre, one of the oldest Arthurian stories ever found in writing returns to its spoken roots. Adverse Camber’s production of Hunting the Giant’s Daughter, based on Culhwch and Olwen from The Mabinogion, created and performed by Michael Harvey (storyteller), Lynne Denman (singer) and Stacey Blythe (musician, composer) is presented in association with The Crick Crack Club. After the performance we’re inviting historians, archeologists and anyone with insights about connections between the story and the Welsh landscape to join us for a post-show chat to inform  ongoing touring plans.

Michael Harvey explains, “It’s always very special for us to tell this story in Wales. Telling it in places described in the story creates a special frisson.  In 2012, we’ll be telling the story along the route of the hunt for the Twrch Trwyth, the great wild boar which Arthur and the people of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire hunt across Wales into Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.  We’re hunting for stories of how this tale connects with landscapes and traditions in Wales and hopefully further afield. We plan to integrate these stories into story walks and performances, to ensure they keep travelling on. This very old story is part of a fascinating living mythology and we’re hoping people can help us uncover more of the story in Aberystwyth.”

One mapping point is the nearby Ystrad Fflur (Strata Florida abbey) where the story of Culhwch and Olwen was first written down. Archeologists from the University of Wales are currently exploring links between the abbey and Mabinogion texts.  The White Book of Rhydderch, one of the source texts for The Mabinogion, is also held at the National Library of Wales, in Aberystwyth.  Various mountains and rivers in South Wales, are named from incidents in the story. Sandstone in the Brecon Beacons has recently been renamed ‘Twrch Stone’ – like the boar which Arthur and people from surrounding countries gathered to hunt. The team plan to create a digital map marking the stories people pass on and encouraging people to share more.

The post-show chat in Aberystwyth will be held in the bar of the arts centre. Whether you’re an archeologist, historian, storyteller, audience member or interested to know more, you’re invited to come along.  For more information contact Adverse Camber at naomi@adversecamber.org or call 0775 352 8919

Hunting the Giant’s Daughter was originally commissioned as ‘Culhwch and Olwen’ by Beyond the Border International Storytelling Festival.  The 2012 Route of the Rampage tour is supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council Wales and the Night Out scheme.

Maria Whatton explains, “The Lunar Society was an eighteenth century circle of like minded fellows.  Their meetings blended Science, Art, Commerce and friendship. Lunar Society gatherings happened in domestic abodes from Derbyshire to Staffordshire and we’ve an amazing front room at the Silk Mill created by Charity Shop DJ and Derby Museum and Art Gallery to encourage the audience to feel able to share their own creativity as part of the event. The Lunar Society meetings were for pleasure as much as business after all. I’ll be telling stories inspired by my own family gatherings, along with stories of the Lunar men and inviting feedback based on story gathering we’re doing a week before.  Because it’s a full moon, there will be plenty of light for people to see their way home afterwards, just like Lunar meetings, held on full moons for that reason.”

By daylight, on Saturday 3 September, from 10am to 12noon and 2pm to 4pm, people are invited to have a preview of the lounge, where Maria will be telling and gathering stories to help shape the evening event a week later. Although the Lunar Society was an exclusively male domain, Maria will also tell stories from women’s perspectives, including stories she heard in her own childhood front room. Saturday 3rd September is Joseph Wright’s birthday and there will be tea and cake available at the Silk Mill for anyone who wants to celebrate during Maria’s sessions. Free refreshments will be provided ahead of the evening event on Monday 12th September, to create that homely feel.

The Lunar Lounge is produced by Adverse Camber, working with Charity Shop DJ and Derby Museum and Art Gallery as part of the Wright of Derby Festival.

*Doors open on 12 Sept at 8pm for an 8.30pm start.

For more information, call 0775 352 8919 or come on down to the Silk Mill at opening times.  No need to book, but there’s limited space on the vintage 3 piece suite, so come early to bag the comfy chairs!

Simon and Nick with The Middle Yard

Adverse Camber has been working with storytellers Simon Heywood, Nick Hennessey and director Paula Crutchlow over the past six months on the first stage of creative development of The Plain of Towers. Drawing deeply on Irish mythology, this full length storytelling and music piece is the third in a sequence of stories about Lugh Lamfhota which began with The Twisting Field and continued with The Middle Yard. It also works as a stand-alone piece which gives audiences a complete experience, whether or not they have seen the earlier stories.

The Plain of Towers moves us through time and space, across land and sea to a moment long prophesised; when a hero confronts the tyrant he was born to outface.  What happens, when a story reaches its ending?

On Wednesday 29 June, 2011 at 7pm, at mac (Midlands Arts Centre) Birmingham, Simon and Nick will share a first draft of the story with an audience, to inform the next stage of work.  After the preview there will be a managed feedback session at which the audience can contribute feedback to some questions. There will also be the chance for more informal feedback in the cafe bar afterwards.

Many thanks to Arts Council England for their support on this project.

Tickets £5
To book call mac Sales and Information on 0121 446 3232

Wednesday 29 June, 7pm
The Plain of Towers Preview
mac
Cannon Hill Park
Birmingham
B12 9QH
www.macarts.co.uk

From 1st to 3rd April, 2011, Adverse Camber has been invited to programme a Storytelling Weekend at mac in Birmingham.

The weekend explores the theme Listening for Landscape with four evocative performances of storytelling and music featuring Stacey Blythe, Lynne Denman, Michael Harvey, Nick Hennessey, Simon Heywood and Katrice Horsley plus an imaginative map-making activity inviting the public to participate.

Storytelling and map-making often go hand in hand. Hunting the Giant’s Daughter, “…a standard-bearer for Welsh language and material, a wonderful blend of music and the spoken word, and a tour de force by three fine artists” (Fiona Collins) is created and performed by Michael Harvey (storyteller), Lynne Denman (singer) and Stacey Blythe (musician/composer).  The show is based on Culhwch and Olwen, the oldest Arthurian legend ever found written down, originally in Welsh. The story maps the journey from youthful bravado towards battle-hardened experience, moving from Cornwall to Wales and over to Ireland and back. A furious hunt for a wild boar (the Twrch Trwyth) races through the landscapes of West and South Wales, over the Severn and into South West England, with rivers and mountains named by events which happen along the way. Hunting the Giant’s Daughter is on Sunday 3 April at 7pm in the Foyle.

Myths of Mercia is a new piece created by Katrice Horsley (storyteller) and Simon Heywood (storyteller/songwriter) which maps the landscape in and around the Birmingham area. A blend of real life experiences from the Clent Hills to Barr Beacon with legends and ballads, some medieval, others newly composed, the performance weaves around personal memories, shared stories and melodies to remember! Myths of Mercia launches the Storytelling Weekend, on Friday 1 April at 7.30pm in the Hex.

Throughout the weekend people passing through mac are invited to drop in at the Hub to contribute to an imaginative-map making, sharing stories of places which are particularly special to them. On Sunday, in Telling the Land, Michael, Lynne, Stacey, Nick and Simon will share a unique performance of storytelling and music, responding to the stories which have been shared. Telling the Land is on Sunday 3rd April at 4pm in the Foyle.

All this, plus on Saturday afternoon an unmissable free performance by Ffynnon “Spinetinglingly exquisite jazz-soaked Celtic folk music, combining the traditional and the innovative” (BBC Radio 2). The performance will include traditional and new music with the haunting, powerful voice of Lynne Denman and inventive music of Stacey Blythe. Ffynnon perform in the Bridges Café Bar on Saturday 2nd April from 2pm.

For more information including to book online visit www.macarts.co.uk and hope to see you there!

Storyteller Michael Harvey ‘mesmerising’ (The Times) weaves Welsh poetry into an imaginative telling of the tale, around a delicious mix of traditional Welsh and jazz influenced music created by Stacey Blythe (accordion, piano, harp) and singer Lynne Denman.

An evening to savour, offering an intoxicating mix of lively storytelling and music.

Suitable for adults and children aged 12+

Michael Harvey

Storyteller Michael Harvey is one of just eighteen artists from across all artforms to be awarded a 2010-2011 Creative Wales award by Arts Council of Wales.  The awards give artists space to create, offering the equivalent of what in other felds is known as R&D time, time for research and development.  In times of recession R&D can be under pressure but in creativity, art and the building of cultural capital this is the stage which absolutely cannot be missed out!

Michael’s award will give him time to explore ‘The Hidden Art of the Storyteller’, working individually and with other artists in Wales and beyond over the next 12 months.  There are three parts to his project, Landscape – exploring the relationship between landscape, the body and the performing space, Object – undertaking training and experiments with alternative methods of combining objects and a performed story and Stage – using a specific stage language while appearing as oneself.   Adverse Camber is delighted to have such great news to spread about this award and look forward to hearing more as the project progresses. Well done Michael!

More information can be found here

Drawing on Celtic mythology this was a truly spellbinding evening of music and storytelling, which demonstrated wonderfully the real skill in the craft of bringing words to life. The evocative notes of the harp complemented by the rich voice of Nick Hennessey set the mood for an evening of tales of magic and times long past. Based on Oidheadh Chloinne Tuireann (The Fate of the Sons of Tuirenn),the show wove together song and storytelling in a lively tapestry which proved to be totally mesmerising. Central to the story is Lugh Lamfhota, the great Irish hero born in order to fulfil a prophecy and defeat his people’s enemy. However the murder of his father draws him into a bitter feud against the sons of Tuireann and leads him to set a cruel trap so that he can have his revenge. There are no props in this incredible production, simply a range of instruments and two extremely talented wordsmiths whose use of language is absolutely superb. Through very deft changes of focus and incredibly skilful technique the two men people the stage with an amazing cast of Celtic heroes and monsters in a story which ranges from battles on wild hillsides to far-flung foreign courts and then through to mystical lands inhabited by gods and strange supernatural beings. Yet this is not just a tale of heroic deeds, for there are some wonderfully clever comic touches and swift changes of mood to keep the audience on their toes. This is particularly the case in the second half of the programme where the amazing use of repetition builds up the picture of the boat on the storm tossed oceans as it voyages on its quest for wondrous and deadly treasures. Simon Heywood’s superb timing is a joy to watch as he effortlessly morphs from one character to the next, all the while retaining the ability to step out of role and punctuate his epic tale with swift asides for comic effect. His advice on delivering poetry, as Brian, eldest of the sons of Tuireann, was a classic comic moment in an extremely funny episode in the tale. This was a remarkable evening in many respects and was a striking example of the storyteller’s art – making you wonder why, if ideas can be conveyed so spectacularly through this medium, we should ever have thought that we needed to actually write them down!

Gill O’Donnell, The Craven Herald (Settle Stories)