The Orcadian Online Archive - Celebrating the oral tradition with tall tales

Tall Tales for Short Days 2001
25th-28th October
Celebrating the oral tradition with tall tales

THURSDAY, 25th OCTOBER

8.00 p.m. Ayre Hotel, Kirkwall - 'Journeys' - Storytelling from around the world with visiting storytellers David Campbell, Ross Noble, Bob Pegg, Lawrence Tulloch. Music by Hullion - £3.50/£1.75.

FRIDAY, 26th OCTOBER

6.30 p.m. Kirkwall Library - Bedtime Tales for peedie folk. FREE.

7.30 p.m. Kirkwall Arts Theatre 'Orkney After Sunset' - A Concert with the Wrigley Sisters and master storyteller David Campbell - £7/£3.50.

8.00 p.m. Gable End Theatre, Hoy - Ross Noble and Marita Luck. FREE.

8.00 p.m. Beltane House, Papa Westray - Bob Pegg and Tom Muir. FREE.

SATURDAY, 27th OCTOBER

11.30 a.m. Kirkwall Library - Stories for peedie folk. FREE.

11.30 a.m. The Pier Arts Centre, Stromness - Lecture - Orkney folk tales in a Scandinavian perspective by Professor Bo Almqvist - £2.

2.00 p.m. New Phoenix - Pickaquoy Centre - Storytellers of past times on fascinating archive film £2/£1/50p.

2.30 p.m. Stromness Library - Stories from Lawrence Tulloch for age4-9. FREE.

7.30 p.m. Kirkwall Arts Theatre - Double-bill 'Assipattle and the Muckle Mester Stoorworm' with Stromness Youth Drama Group. Plus 'Roots and Flutes' with Bob Pegg, musician and storyteller extraordinaire!!! Tickets £3/£1 + Family ticket (2 + 2) £7.

10.00 p.m. Royal Hotel, Stromness - Late Night storytelling and music - all storytellers 'Things that go bump in the night . . .' - £3.50.

SUNDAY, 28th OCTOBER

2.30 p.m. Stromness Academy Theatre - as above - double-bill 'Assipattle and the Muckle Mester Stoorworm'. Plus 'Roots and Flutes' with Bob Pegg. Tickets £3/£1 + Family ticket (2 + 2) £7.

8.00 p.m. Stromness Hotel - Mermaids, Monsters, Shipwrecks and Lovers - The Tall Tales for Short Days Farewell evening - all visiting storytellers and music by Shoot the Piper - £5.

“Inside everyone is a child waiting to hear a story. . .” says master-storyteller David Campbell, who is bringing his own extraordinary brand of magic to this year’s Tall Tales for Short Days (October 25-28).

David will be joined by Orkney’s own Wrigley Sisters, in the ‘Orkney After Sunset’ concert, linking his storytelling to the sisters’ atmospheric and haunting music.

Tall Tales will also welcome storyteller and Renaissance man, Bob Pegg - who brings music, energy and action to his tales.

Bob will present his Roots and Flutes musical storytelling show in a double-bill with Stromness Youth Drama Group, who will present Bryce Wilson’s play of the well-loved tale ‘Assipattle and the Muckle Mester Stoorworm’ on stage.

Folk culture and history expert Ross Noble will bring the stories of his Ayrshire youth and European travels, and this year sees the return of seasoned maestro Laurence Tulloch, whose Shetland home is the wellspring of his fountain of stories.

Professor Bo Almqvist is coming from University College, Dublin, to speak about Orkney folktales, Scandinavian connections.

These dream weavers will combine with Orkney storytellers Tom Muir, Marita Luck, and Len Wilson to bring tales of mystery, enchantment, horror and comedy to Tall Tales’ audiences.

From small beginnings last year, this modest celebration of the oral tradition of the Isles has grown to be a four-day event with drama, music, stories, archive film and an expert lecture.

Fascinating archive storytelling film, from the School of Scottish Studies in Edinburgh will also be shown in liaison with Orkney Heritage.

Tickets for the Tall Tales event are available from Orkney Tourist Board. Tel: (01856) 872856.