Review of Feast Of Fools Storytelling #11 - Sarah Rundle at the NN Cafe, Northampton

A bustling and rowdy crowd had gathered for the eleventh Feast Of Fools evening and it was all very apt for Sarah Rundle's telling of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

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Our introduction to the evening once again came from Richard York and together with Elizabeth they spirited us into the past with their ye olde instruments including that wonderful herdy gurdy again. The second half even included what was described as some medieval jamming (comment copyright Mrs Blake).

However the star of the evening and the one and only teller, was Sarah Rundle. Bounding onto the stage, dressed casually, telling us little of what a night we were in for. However for over ninety minutes and the longest evening of FoF yet, we sat, as is withing her palm entranced by a lively, relevant telling of the ancient tale of Gawain.

Made into a tremendously modern tale while maintaining the flavour of its origin, we were offered broadsides into quite brilliant PowerPoint presentations, a random reference to Brian Blessed, and a rant against British Gas (a very sore point I felt from past experience?). It was a really wonderfully worded tale delivered with glorious style. Just on the right balance between the traditional telling and the more dramatic style.

Us the audience (including the incredible boisterous and noisy yokels at the back) were all invited at times to get into the act, be it...

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or in the first half a bit of medievel singing. The audience very much got into the act and without doubt were loving every minute.

There has been much to enjoy from the year of Feast of Fools, however very possibly this was the best yet. Sarah Rundle is deceptive at first, but while we may just be having a jolly good laugh during the first half, by the time we reach the second part, the laughter and joy has become the fully belly variety. A surfeit of laughter indeed and one to certainly try to catch somewhere. Perhaps the very best way to become a fan of storytelling if you haven't encountered it before. Now please...

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Performance reviewed: Wednesday 2nd March, 2016 at the NN Cafe, Northampton.

For more details about Sarah Rundle, visit her website at http://www.sarahrundle.co.uk/
Feast Of Fools is held on the first Wednesday of each month at the NN Cafe
Full details can be found at https://www.facebook.com/StorytellingFeast and Twitter @FOFStorytelling

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