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Magical Storytelling at A Land of Shadows

These notes are based on a series of storytelling workshops that were devised and delivered by storyteller Wendy Welch for the exhibition a Land of Shadows. They are designed to be used by anyone interested in running a storytelling session on the theme of fantasy writing and invented worlds.

Time: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes for an average class size.

Age range: P6 - S2 pupils.

Basic Outline of Session

• Give the group 5 minutes or so to visit the exhibition.
• Sit the group down in a comfortable space. Discuss with them the kinds of stories the exhibition might relate to - fantasy, legend, fairytale, myth, modern books etc. Highlight the aspects of them (magic, quest, mythical and monstrous creatures, tragedy and human fallibility) that make them stand out as being part of a genre. Discuss how these sorts of tales were inspiration for Tolkien and his own myth making. Total time 5 minutes.
• Tell them a short tale - usually something fairly simple at this stage. Ask for their responses to the story afterwards. What kinds of elements were in the story that made this interesting/different/part of the genre? What was it's tone - spooky, magical, or heroic? Total time 10 minutes.
• Inform them they will be doing their own storytelling today and begin with a quick warm-up session. This could involve a group storytelling activity in which the storyteller begins a well-known tale, using volunteers to act out the characters at specific points of the tale, preferably using props. As the tale is familiar to them, they can begin to be involved in storytelling in a safe, unchallenging environment. Total time 5 minutes.
• The group can then be divided into smaller groups of 4-5. Each group then choses one 'magical' object which will act as inspiration for their own tale. Give each group 5 minutes to discuss ideas (paper and pencils can be provided at this point but should not take over from what should be a mainly verbal activity). They should be given 5 minutes to rehearse their performance. They may also want to nominate a storyteller, with the others acting out parts of the story. Costumes should be made available to them at a point near the end of their rehearsal session. See story structures below for how to assist with the development of the group's story structures. Total time 10 minutes.
• The final part of the session will then be taken up with the storytelling performances. Ensure that the audience remains calm and attentive to the other group's stories at all times. Total time 45 minutes.
• Finally, bring the group back together and ask the group for constructive feedback on their stories. What was successful and where was there room for improvement? How might this have been achieved? If there is time, the storyteller should end the session with a short tale. Total time 10 minutes.

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Story Structures and Further Activity Ideas

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Who is on this road, and what happens to him or her? (This song is from The Fellowship of the Ring, but your story need not be about the characters in the book.)

PORQUOIS STORIES

People sometimes use stories to explain things, particularly things they are afraid of. Stories of this type are often referred to in the Lord of the Rings, but not told.

Choose a kind of weather (rain, hail, lightning, snow, etc.). Pick out three characteristics of this weather (e.g. rain: wet, cold, comes from clouds). Now decide which characteristic your story is about. If the story ends that rain comes out of clouds, at the beginning of the story, rain has to come from somewhere else. Changing this makes the middle of your story. For example: a long time ago rain used to rain upward from the ground. One day ... and ever since then, rain has come from clouds.

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STORY SKELETONS

Stories can be made up in your own words from the bare bones of folktales. JRR Tolkien and JK Rowling both used folktales for some of their action in their books. Try making your own story in your own words, based on these ideas.

A man found a seal skin on the beach. When he took it home, a woman followed him. She was really a seal in human form. He hid the skin and she stayed with him. They had a child. When the child was seven, the child asked the mother why the father kept a seal skin hidden in the stable. The mother took the skin and went back to the sea.

A man found a mirror, and when he looked in it, it showed him things as the best that they could be, not as they looked. He could read people's souls. He got married, and his wife was jealous of the mirror. She broke it, but a piece of it got inside her. After that, his wife could see the best in everyone and everything.

A princess had to perform three very difficult tasks in order to rescue a prince she wanted to marry, but who was kept prisoner by a witch. When she finished the tasks, the witch bespelled the prince so he didn't recognise her and said he didn't want to marry her. The princess had to find a way to break the spell of the witch and make her true love recognise her within three days.

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OBJECT/ABSTRACT STORIES
(for gifted/advanced groups only)

The ring is an object that everyone wants, but which is poisonous and corrupting. What objects do people want nowadays that are corrupting or poisonous? What about "abstracts"? An abstract is something that cannot be held, a concept such as "power." The ring is a concrete object that brings the abstract "power" to anyone who has it. Can you write a story about an object that brings an abstract concept to its owner/wearer/user and what happens to the object? Abstract concepts can be good as well as evil. (Good and evil are themselves abstracts!) Below is a list of abstract concepts you might want to include in your writing.

OBJECT STORIES
(for any group)

The ring is an object central to Tolkien's story. Can you write a story about a magic object? Your story could be about how the object became magic, or what happened when someone who found the object discovered it was magic. Some objects you might choose are below.

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Curriculum Links P6-S2

Expressive Arts - Drama: Creating and Designing, Communicating and Presenting, Observing, Listening, Reflecting, Describing and Responding (Level C-E)

English Language - Listening/Watching: Listen in order to respond to text, Talking: Talking in groups, Talking about experiences, Feelings and opinions (Level C-E)

Wendy Welch is a storyteller who works for the charity organisation Storytelling Unplugged. Find out more about Storytelling Unplugged at

www.storytellingunplugged.co.uk

or contact

The Old Schoolhouse
New Gilston
Fife KY8 5TF

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