Gemma Hannah, Storyteller

Disney have lost their bid to trademark The Day of the Dead, the intended name of their new film based on the legendary Mexican holiday. Following an uproar on social media the storytelling behemoth were forced to withdraw the application. But this is not the first cultural tradition, history and story that Disney and other animated producers such as Dreamworks have appropriated. Certainly stories are meant to be told. As a storyteller I take many stories that are not mine and I often don’t  have a particular cultural connection to, and I tell them. In fact, I make a living out of telling them. So am I any different from Disney, and is there a line to be drawn when it comes to telling copyright free traditional tales?

There is certainly a fine line between making a story one’s own and respecting it’s origins and it is a line I am very carful to tread in my own work. My intention is to tell stories with integrity. Yes, I do use my own words and add my own twists and nuances. But I always acknowledge a stories providence and cultural background, and that means doing thorough research on each and every tale before it passes my lips. I also never take one story and set it in a different place or culture, because to me this begins to feel like stealing, or forcibly removing the story from it’s motherland. It is crossing the line.

Are Hollywood producers thieves? In my opinion they often are, because there is rarely a respectful acknowledgement of the history and traditions that come with the story. For example both Mulan and Kung Fu Panda are based on traditional Chinese stories, history and traditions and yet Chinese directors and producers have not had the opportunity to tell these stories. Instead the people of China must watch an American perspective on their traditions and pay Hollywood for the privilege. Tim Burton’s The Corpse Bride is based on a Ukranian folk tale that stems from a time when there were regular murders of Jewish brides on the way to their nuptials by anti semites. Heavy stuff, but c’mon Tim, shouldn’t the origins of a tale always be explored and acknowledged?

If I’m honest, it’s hard for me to complain about this, because I love a great deal of the work of Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks. With three children, many happy memories have been made going to the cinema to watch the latest animated release. I just can’t help myself. I love their original storytelling in Toy Story and Finding Nemo, and although The Lion King has it’s issues it pleases me that it has made it to the West End as a stage play with an all black cast. I was furious that Disney set a film in Africa and then failed to have a single black character (Tarzan). It was a step forward when The Princess and the Frog came out. Finally a black female protagonist, much to the delight of my two mixed race daughters. But then they go and try to take ownership of The Day of the Dead. Tut tut Disney. One step forward, two steps back. Money talks in Hollywood,  but for me my role as a storyteller is clear. I am the respectful custodian of the stories I tell, they do not belong to me.

Due to popular demand, I can now confirm that the date for my next one day crash course in storytelling will be on 7th March 2012.

Is it time to launch your storytelling career? Be a more engaging speaker? Bring your teaching to life?

This one day course guides you through the techniques and mechanics of effective storytelling. You will feel your confidence grow, bounce off the other participants and come out buzzing! The course is held at The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, one of London’s most dynamic theatre spaces. Come and be inspired by the content, participants and environment of this course.

This course is held on Wednesday 7th March, from 10am-6pm. Spaces are limited on this very popular course so BOOK NOW!

To book online click here (subject to a booking fee) or contact me to ask any questions or to pay by check/bank transfer. Have a read of what some past participants had to say about the course…

“I have learnt so much from this one day workshop with Gemma. It was fun, interactive and challenging and I now feel so much more confident about telling stories. I feel one step closer to becoming a professional speaker.”

“Gemma put us at our ease from the very beginning. Her quiet confident manner was very supportive and encouraged everyone’s individual creativity. She gave us layer on layer of techniques- pace, sounds and movement, but never straying from actual storytelling. She showed us how to make the story our own. It was an excellent day and I would recommended Gemma for anyone who wants to either learn new skills or develop further as a storyteller.”

“I would recommend this course to everyone! It was one of the most enjoyable days I’ve had in a long time. Although many of us were new to storytelling, with Gemma’s guidance we became animated, confident and expressive.”

“It was incredible how much was learnt in a short space of time. Excellent teaching and content as well as attention to detail of the individual specific needs and really valuable constructive feedback.”

Storyteller Katrice Horsley has been named our next storytelling laureate, taking over from Taffy Thomas for the next two years. Her appointment coincides with the start of National Storytelling Week, which will runs from 28th January to 4th February. Both important events in the storytelling calendar will be launched with a special celebration in Birmingham. Places are free, if you would like to attend go to kindandgenerous productions.

It’s great to see a female storyteller take the baton of laureate. As a storyteller, Katrice is a dynamic mix of performer (creating new and exciting performance ready pieces), advocate (working as consultant for large organisations such as BBC and the British Council) and educator (Katrice offers training and consultancy in the traditional arts). Katrice’s website  says this of her new appointment;

“…she hopes the raise the profile of the importance of storytelling within the performance arts, within community development and within our own development as fully rounded human beings.”

Traditional storytelling, whilst clearly in a revival, is still an under represented art form and I really hope to see Katrice use her position to support it’s growth. I certainly wish her the very best of luck!

Picture yourself telling tales under the deep blue Provençal sky, surrounded by mountains, flowers, fruit trees and sunshine. Imagine enjoying good food, great wine and the company of likeminded people who share a love of storytelling. Sound good?

Then come and join me this summer from 28th July to 3rd August 2012 for a storytelling experience like no other.

Part training course and part mini festival, this week long story extravaganza is set in the beautiful Les Maisons de Chante Oiseau, a hamlet of stone houses nestled into the foothills of the Alps. Accommodation consists of a collection of larger mas farmhouses to share and sweet self contained cottages for one or two. There is even an enchanting treehouse overlooking a stream. It is a flexible space that allows you to come alone or bring friends, partners and children. There is plenty of space and lots of activities for everyone, along with the opportunity for you participate in workshops and activities together and share your new found stories and skills with all the guests.

This beautiful setting offers courtyards for alfresco dining, poolside sun loungers and shady trees to sit under and relax.  You will find both intimacy and privacy as well as the opportunity to meet and spend time with other storytellers.

The training element is designed to support your development as a your storyteller, building skills such as;
*Finding your authentic storytelling voice
*How to have a strong and confident physical presence
*Using sound, song and percussion in storytelling
*Growing your repertoire and how to find stories that are right for you

We will also be exploring different storytelling traditions throughout the week such as;
*Traditional French Fairy Tales
*Greek mythology
*African Traditional Tales
*One thousand and one nights

For partners, families and friends joining us at Les Maisons de Chante Oiseau there is plenty to do, including a swimming pool, horse riding, bicycles and a play area for children, plus lots of other activities in the region. Accommodation can be either shared or completely private, self catering or full board. (A special meal on the first and last nights are included in the price for all participants and their ‘guests’, plus breakfast on your first morning.)

Alongside the training, there will be a selection of workshops that family and friends can also participate in such as;
*Stargazing Stories: Lie back under the night sky and let our expert stargazer talk you through the map of the stars and listen to the ancient stories behind them.
*1001 Nights: Hear and share theses infamous stories and enjoy a traditional Moroccan feast.
*The story of Wine: Discover the story of how wine came to be, and sample the delights of the region’s tastiest tipples.
*Drumming Workshop: Try your hand at some simple rhythms with call and response songs.
*Tales for after dark: Ghosts, supplies and wicked fairies.
*Workshops for children: interactive storytelling, drama and storybook making.

Prices for this amazing storytelling experience start at £730 for one person. This price includes over 20 hours of tuition, an hour long one to one session, evening meal and breakfast on the first night and a Moroccan feast on the last night. All guests and children also get these meals included.

You will need to organize your own travel. There are lots of flight options from Marseille International Airport. The train from London to Aix en Provenec TGV is very easy and there is a direct train from London to Avignon during the summer. I can offer collection from either Marseille International airport, Aix en Provence TGV or Avignon.* All three are around one hour and 20 minutes away by car.

Hiring a car is not vital*, but if you or your guests wanted to explore the region then it is recommended.

Places are limited, but you can reserve yours with a special early bird 10% discount available only until 1st January. A deposit of 20% must be made to secure your place. (The course can then be paid in installments. )

To register your interest and for further information please fill in this form.

*Please note that I cannot offer a collection/ drop off service unless I have a minimum of 6 who require it. There will be a maximum of 8 spaces for this service and it will cost approximately £45 pp per journey. I would also be able to offer complimentary supermarket runs and other short excursions, as the accommodation is quite remote.

I recently delivered a storytelling workshop as part of the Folkstone Book Festival, and one participant told me she had a problem with traditional tales because of the stereotyping  one encounters. My short answer to her was that when you delve further into the vast array of stories, more complex and varied characters reveal themselves. But I have to concede, stereotypes are there in folktales and can present a problem.

One of my biggest issues is the ‘wicked Stepmother’. I have my own blended family where two of my children enjoy good relationships with both a stepfather (my husband) and a stepmother (their father’s girlfriend). So I find the character of the wicked step parent who prefers their own children to inherited ones somewhat uncomfortable. However, I don’t want to remove all bad parents from my repertoire. It can feel more fair on step parents if I take away the ‘step’ and leave a mother who favors some children over others. Not an easy dynamic either, you could argue. But these traditional stories are not meant to be fair, or easy.

Folktales were created long before views on equality and stereotyping were on the agenda, they were meant to embody a simplified microcosm of the human experience to help us comprehend and question the world around us. Not always easy to do in a tale that is likely to take no longer than 30 minutes to tell. I think some stereotyping is necessary. The actions of these characters are immediately understood (even expected) and so the narrative is readily followed. And they contain the kernel of recognizable human characters, even for today, which have been wildly exaggerated for dramatic effect. For example, if we go back to the ‘wicked stepmother’ who favors one child over another, aren’t there many of us who have either experienced favoritism within our own families or (more likely) imagined it as children? Through the story we can enjoy a level of release to have these fears played out. (Or just feel gratitude for the family we have!)

I often find that what seem like two dimensional characters are far more complex on further exploration. I adore the tales of The Orichas, the Yoruba Gods and Godesses, because these tales show us deeply flawed and very human characters. Chango may be the buffed, fearless god of fire, but he has also paid heavily for his arrogant and irresponsible behavior when he set fire to his home, with his wife and children still in it. Oshun, the Goddess  of love and beauty, seems to spend all her time bathing in rivers, dressing in fine fabrics and looking at herself in the mirror. But she is also deeply insecure, dangerously impulsive, and a driven entrepreneur who’s main desire is to provide for her children.

And there are endless other characters that appear in stories that do not fit any particular mold. There are men and women who are fools, and as many of both genders who use their brains to outwit their enemies. Good and evil are not gender specific either, with plenty to choose from on both sides. And good and evil are not always mutually exclusive. Mischievous Tricksters such as Anansi, Loki and Eshu inhabit a place that is neither and both. Wicked witches can morph into wise women, as with Hecate and Baba Yaga.

Racial stereotyping is completely avoidable and has no place in storytelling. Each folk tale has the wonderful ability to be both culturally specific and universally accessible. Telling a tale from any county is in itself a celebration of that culture. And yet more often than not we connect with the characters and messages we discover within the tale. There is no need to use cultural stereotypes, or attempt accents, if it is not culturally specific to you as a teller. If you want to explore that culture more within the telling, other elements can be used that  support that cultural content, such as songs, use of instruments or props, or linking it back to where and how you discovered it (i.e. ‘ I have a good friend from Brazil with whom I spent many long nights hearing the tales of his childhood’, or, ‘I have always been drawn to the Caribbean, and have been exploring the folktales of Jamaica’).

Avoiding stereotyping or cultural cliches is why many storytellers choose to exclusively tell stories from their own cultures or cultures they have a direct connection with. I don’t think this is always necessary, I certainly tell tales from all over the world. But it is important to respect the story and it’s heritage, and be clear that you are sharing the voices and wisdom of that culture without claiming it as your own.

So how do we approach stereotypical characters for effective storytelling in a way that feels relevant today? I think it is important to note that characterization within a performance is only to be touched on as part of the narrative. It is not a storyteller’s job to ‘become’ these characters, and so the danger of negative representation is less likely. As storytellers we are telling a tale, and the characters in these tales are there to support the narrative and the message behind the story. Focus on the story as whole entity. How are you going to ensure your audience follows the narrative and its messages? How is this character supporting that narrative? What is his/ her function and how can I make that clear? What is the character trying to tell us through his/ her actions? These questions are of more importance than fretting about how stereotypical each character is.

Don’t let stereotypes allow you to dismiss traditional tales or put you off sharing them with others. These stories are full of wisdom, laughter and magic, and they are as relevant now as they ever were. They need to be kept alive, so keep telling.

November’s crash course in storytelling was as ever an inspiration. By the end of the day everyone, regardless of previous experience, shared a story they had never heard or read before. And every single one of these storytellers demonstrated the techniques learnt over the day effectively, whilst also demonstrating their own individual styles and approaches to telling a tale. See below for some of the wonderful feedback received about the day.

And if you are interested in exploring your inner storyteller, I have more courses lined up for next year in London. My next one day crash course will be at the beginning of March, and I am planning an advanced two day course to take place during the Easter school holidays. I am just waiting on conformation from the venue. If you would like to register your interest or be first to know once the dates are confirmed please contact me.

I have learnt so much from this one day workshop with Gemma. It was fun, interactive and challenging and I now feel so much more confident about telling stories. I feel one step closer to becoming a professional speaker. I can’t wait for her advanced course next year.