Storytelling: Hot Crones & Other Revelations
Tonight, storytelling was back, whee! The show I went to was Hot Crones & Other Revelations, at Folklore Hoxton, courtesy of the Crick Crack Club. Tickets from Dice, as usual. And I booked at The Blues Kitchen beforehand.
Rain was promised. It was misting as I waited for the bus - I managed a seat upstairs. And it really started lashing during the journey! Happily, it pretty much rained itself out by the time I got off again - and I just made the bar in time for my booking.
Well, it seems they've started remembering me here, too - she knew what I wanted to drink! And it came quickly. Unfortunately, that seems to have backfired - at least, I'm assuming that's the reason the table beside me, whose occupants were seated after me, had their order taken before mine. The Maitre d' seems to have noticed my irate look, because after he passed, my server came and asked whether I wanted food! Eh, yes, that's why I have a menu in front of me.. When I said yes, she apologised - and it wasn't too long in coming after that. That other table still got more attention, mind.. but I have to say, the food was delicious: especially the gravy, thicker than usual and absolutely scrummy.
The rain had stopped for me to walk up to Folklore, thankfully - where I joined a long queue for the bar. The show started late, probably because of that - and as I explained to the person in front of me, I was going to buy two glasses of wine, because my chances of getting one in a queue at the interval were zilch.
No ticket check. Lucy Lill was MCing and directing us, and as I was one of the last, she suggested I take a seat on the bench to the side. Which was perfect, albeit that I had to have a kind of sideways view - plenty of space for my things, though.
Debs Newbold played a storm, giving us tales from England, Italy, and France. The English one was the only one I heard before, being that of the knight in Chaucer's Wife of Bath's tale, about a knight who is instructed by the Queen to return in a year with the answer to what women want, which has to be satisfactory if he is to keep his head. The answer (spoiler) turns out to be sovereignty - over themselves. Of course, he doesn't come up with this himself - he is given it by an old crone, who demands, in return, whatever she may ask that be in his power to give..
The second tale was Italian, 13th century, about an old man married to a beautiful young woman, and how she manages to hold trysts with her lover.
And finally there's one from France, with a whole heap of merry doings, and a fellow coming across a group of bathing dryads, who thinks to steal their sumptuous clothing, but is persuaded to return it - and in return, is given a very particular gift..
And Lordy, a more bawdy and ribald rendition you would be hard-pressed to find! The whole show was great fun, as Debs cavorted about the stage, and asked for suggestions for - em - names for private parts.. The only complaint we all had was the stuffiness - the fan was turned on a couple of times, but not enough. It was a good idea of mine to get all my wine in advance, mind - I'll do that again! Anyway, it was great to be back listening to stories..
On the bus home, an elderly gent got on who was obviously unused to bus travel, and wasn't sure where to get off! The poor fella had the misfortune to ask the elderly lady beside me where she was going - which mightily offended her sensibilities! "I'm not telling you!" she exclaimed - and the poor bloke was left trying to assure her that he wasn't a weirdo.. I took pity, and told him to look for where I got off - by the sound of it, it'd be a little after that. Oh, the strike is proving such an education for so many.. just as well I'd be travelling by bus regardless!
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