Yes, It Works

I see to my horror that my last blog was January 23.  I might be reduced abject groveling except for the fact that the reason for this huge gap has to do with being much immersed in 2wp work.

First we had the two day workshop for The Odyssey , January 28 and 29.  (Catch one of the participant’s responses at http://mariebilodeau.blogspot.com/2012/01/odyssey-heading-off-to-war.html )  Seventeen tellers are involved and sixteen could be present at this time.  At first, there was nervousness.  Isn’t there always – especially when rehearsal methods are unfamiliar, when we all feel called on to strut our stuff, no matter what assurances may be given that this is not the point?  More and more, however, the nervousness gave way to total commitment – a strong and communal desire to explore Odysseus’ journey in all its nuances and to find voice for what is to be told.  To do that you have to experience in all of your being that this is a great human story of many layers, many  heights, many depths.  For Jennifer and I -- as we encouraged people to yell, sing, whisper and take risks beyond their immediate understanding; to role play in small pieces of their assigned books; to be aware of joys and sadnesses they had not yet imagined -- helping our trusty band get in there was what it was all about.  By the end, the shift in all of us was palpable.  We were at once more present for each other and for the wondrous task on hand.  We are, of course, not finished.  There is much more to be done before June 16 when we will be appearing as the finale to Ottawa Storytellers regular series at the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage – 10 am to 10.30 pm.  How about that for an epic event.

Even was we were looking on to this distant date in the future two other 2wp events were filling our days.  One had to do with just being producers – getting out the publicity materials, dealing with logistics for The Brothers Grimm: 200 Years and Counting with teller Dale Jarvis and musician Delf Maria Hohmann.  We had been nervous as to whether we could sell this show but our worries were unfounded.  Partly, 2wp truly is making a name for itself in our selected communities in Eastern Ontario and West Quebec.  Partly, there was – as ever – the pull of the old tales.  Dale and Delf had worked hard, not just to bring us the stories but to capture the ways of the brothers’ lives.  Listeners were fascinated.  Post-show comments indicated their intense appreciation.  Any problems with the fact that almost all the songs were in German?  No, that just made the experience all the richer; somehow anyway the meaning was clear.  Further info: http://dalejarvis.blogspot.com/

The other event?  Working with Katherine Grier to ready ourselves for the debut of Dragon’s Gold: A Sword Re-Forged, A Ring Accursed at the aforementioned OST Fourth Stage series in March. Dragon’s Gol d is the final show for 2wp’s 2011/2012 season and we will be taking it to our venues in Perth, Peterborough and Wakefield in April.  Boy, what a ride!  Finding means to weave it all together, to evoke the characters, capture the sweep of events.  It’s not an easy world to enter.  The circumstances seem so vast: a boy who has the gift that he may turn himself into an otter; a treasure that brings doom; a maiden asleep in a tower within a  circle of flames; a potion of magic that brings forgetting; lovers so brutally kept apart.  The passions are intense: Brynhild whose loves and hates are so unbridled; Sigurd who seeks for honour with such care; Grimheld, the sorceress, who will do anything to further her own aims.  I have to admit rehearsals brought more than their usual share of “how are we ever going to get to where we must be going?”  Then, it was “the night.”  We were up on that stage, the performance over.  We could feel in the house that the audience had done what we had longed for.  They had gone with us through tragedy and through transcendence as well.  Our relief and gratitude was huge.  We have some adjustments we want to be making but we await with eagerness our chance to tell the tale of Dragon’s Gold again.

So why the title, Yes It Works? Because although 2wp is fairly unique in the storytelling world we are increasingly proving that we have come up with a model that does just that.  Yes, if you will do what it takes in terms of publicity and professionalism, focusing on giving listeners the benefit of great artistic experiences, you can run a season of full length evenings in standard performance venues.  You can bring in a public that has never even heard of storytelling and leave them with but one question on their lips, “When’s the Next Show?”  You can indeed build yet one more opportunity for storytelling as an art-form to develop and grow. You may even find yourself in the position to be the inspiration for other major events -- witness The Odyssey , a 2wp-Ottawa Storytellers co-production, with 2wp providing artistic direction and OST coming forth with venue, publicity, and all aspects of logistics and financing.  You may have to give up a little on your blogging but you’ll even get back to that before all is said and done!

I write this with an emphasis on the word "model."  When we started 2wp , we hoped we might be breaking new ground.  As we report on its successes, we do so as a call to others to have a crack at following similar paths.  It is a deal of work but it does bring its rewards.  If you need some information about our processes, we're more than happy to share that.  We'd also like to hear of models of your own.