An intimate storytelling event is coming to Storyhouse as part of Chester Literary Festival.
The unscripted and unpolished True Stories Live aims to draw the audience into ordinary people’s anecdotal stories featuring personal experiences.
A free workshop will be held for potential storytellers in Chester on Tuesday, November 14, ahead of the main True Stories Live event at Storyhouse on Wednesday, November 15.
Recent ‘guest’ storytellers have included comedian Sara Pascoe and writer Shôn Dale-Jones.
The theme for the Chester evening is Lost and Found.
Compére Molly Naylor will introduce a line-up of storytellers which is expected to include a hand-picked selection of festival performers.
One audience member described the event as ‘like eavesdropping into people’s stories in the pub – and here I’m allowed to.’
A first-time performer said: “I was absolutely petrified before I went on but I feel amazing now, the audience was really receptive. I had so much fun… everybody should do it.”
True Stories Live is the brainchild of producer Lucy Farrant.
She teamed up with Radio 4/Sky TV writer, poet and performer Molly, who will also deliver the workshop.
The workshop on November 14 will be lively and fun, designed to help potential participants find and shape their anecdotal and personal stories and give them the confidence to present it in public.
Molly, who is the co-writer and creator of Sky One sitcom After Hours, will help boost their confidence in public speaking and give tips on how to make the stories interesting and fun.
Lucy said: “The idea came from an American organisation called The Moth, which has been the subject of BBC Radio 4 programmes.
“We believed that British people have many funny, sad, heartwarming, inspiring and downright awesome tales to tell too and, over the past year, we have been proved absolutely right!”
Those interested in speaking at the True Stories Live event should send a short synopsis of their story to truestorieslive@gmail.com.
