Supernatural tales at Lavenham Literary dinner.

Vannessa tells a tale

Storytelling is probably the earliest form of entertainment. Much of the first literature to be written down comprises tales, lays and legends that were formerly part of an oral and aural tradition going back to ancient Greece and beyond. 

In these days of  TV on demand, and self generated electronic entertainment of all sorts, it is an unusual treat to be able to listen to a really accomplished story teller and to be transported by words alone into the vivid world of the imagination for half an hour or so.

It was therefore a lucky group of people who assembled at the Swan in Lavenham on Friday night for this year's Lavenham Literary Festival Dinner.   In addition to enjoying  a very good meal (as is usual for the Swan), and good company,  we also experienced the storytelling skills of Vannessa Woolf.

Vannessa is a professional storyteller based in London.   It is clear from her website that her stories, which are grounded in folk tales and tradition but which have a contemporary twist, are much influenced by the location in which she finds herself.   To prepare a story for the evening, she had clearly researched the surroundings of Lavenham and based her tale on one of the mills that used to stand on high land close to the village. Appropriately for the time of year, the story had elements of the supernatural, but at the end we were brought back with a bump to a Shell petrol station in the 21st century.

Vannessa's storytelling was a refreshing departure from the usual after dinner speaker, and I think that most people much enjoyed an evening that turned out to be a more than a little bit different.

Following the very successful Childrens' Festival in October this year (see blog entry for September 18th 2016)  the next Lavenham Literary Festival will take place on 17th, 18th and 19th November 2017.