Storytelling: Yamamba

I was having terrible trouble finding anything for tonight - and then Nell Phoenix came to my rescue, with another storytelling evening at Torriano Avenue! (I see she's still advertising it as £7 on the website, but it's actually £10.) Anyway, this evening, it was Yamamba, with Laura Sampson!

Far enough out that I had to take the Tube - Northern Line it was. And a bus came along handily to take me to the station, so I treated myself to that. The train, luckily, wasn't at all busy. Spotted one of the storytellers (not previously mentioned, and I can't remember her name) sitting across from me. When I got off, a short walk brought me to my usual Nando's, which wasn't busy, and where I got a window seat. I tell you though, neither the app nor the website was working - first time I've had to order at the counter since I was in the Frith Street branch and the WiFi didn't work!

At least it meant I got my wine straight away - not that it was that cold, but never mind. The food was delish, and very welcome. I kind of had time for dessert, but had decided against it if the app and website were still down - but lo, the new guy on staff appeared in front of me, cleared away my things, and asked me whether I wanted any! So I asked for another glass of wine, and their choc-a-lot cake.

After about 15 minutes, he asked whether I wanted to pay online - I informed him it wasn't working, so I came up to the till. If he wanted me to pay in advance, why didn't he say so straight away?! I could have saved so much time - this hasn't happened in other places, where they have sometimes brought over a card machine. Again, at that point I got the wine - not that he had a clue what he was giving me - tried to give me red first. And then there was an unconscionable wait for the cake - he did apologise. I had to gobble it - but wow, it was worth it, it's as good as ever. He did try to sell me on the chocolate orange brownie, but no - that cake is too good. And then, as I was trying to hurry up and leave, over he comes for a chat! Asking me for a five-star review, pointing out his name - did I know how to do it? Would I like to do it now? NO, AS I SAID, I'M IN A HURRY..

Having escaped, I legged it up the road - and just made it in time. Laura Sampson was outside, having a fag while she went over her lines. I joined the queue chatting to Nell Phoenix, paying, getting warm apple juice with spices (and an optional shot of brandy). When it was my turn, we got so into discussing the weather that she completely forgot about my brandy! Never mind, it was nice and warm anyway.

People were leaving their names if they wanted to tell a story in the first section - that's a nice feature of these meetings. I didn't - but there were three takers. First up was a lady from the wilds of West Wales, as we were told, who brought with her a Tibetan singing bowl and a lovely, soft voice. She was most captivating as she told us a tale of wolves in the snow (for which, as I learned, the Welsh is eira - pronounced exactly the same as Éire, the Irish word for Ireland!)..

The second storyteller - Helen - told us about a king who wanted to tell the difference among three identical dolls. Nobody could do it, until he asked a storyteller, who plucked three hairs from the king's head and threaded each through the ear of one of the dolls. In the case of the first doll, the hair came straight out the other ear - just like people who don't listen; information comes in one ear and goes out the other. In the case of the second doll, the hair stayed inside the head - just like people who hear, but do not repeat. In the case of the third and final doll, the hair came out the mouth, all tangled and twisted - just like the storyteller, who hears something and turns it into something else..

Sadly, although I was sure at the time that I would, of course I can't remember the final story from the floor..

After a short interval, on came Laura - dressed in what turned out to be an approximation of Japanese costume!

Well, I never knew, but apparently she has a thing for Japan. And what she told us was a series of, as she warned us, circuitous short stories, taken from Noh theatre. She even played us a bit of Noh flute music beforehand, and performed what I imagine is Noh dance during the show! Apparently, the show title, "Yamamba", is taken from the Japanese for "Old Lady Mountain" - Ya-ma-mba. And in this mythology, mountains are seen as old ladies, sometimes wise, sometimes malicious, and generally not to be messed with.

So, the stories were all quite short and followed the same format, of someone going up a mountain and getting more than they bargained for. All very professionally told. Only problem is, they went on and on, and were a bit samey.. I felt like asking the Welsh lady whether she could lend her her singing bowl, to break it up a bit! Honestly, it was a relief when it finished. As I say, she is a very good technical storyteller - just needs to make the performance a bit more relatable.

Tube back again - and I was rather lucky, because it seems I was on the last one on that line for a while! The Bank branch of the Northern Line is partly shut down until May.. works going on at a couple of stations on the line, it seems.

Next, four more days of Meetup. Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Safe Haven, at the Arcola - the true story of Operation Safe Haven (1991), which protected, and provided humanitarian aid to, Kurdish refugees in Northern Iraq after Saddam Hussein defeated the Kurdish rebellion. Jeez, hard to imagine it happening these days..

On Friday, back with La Isla Flamenco Club, olé! This show is called Light & Shadow, and is happening in The Gold Bar in the COLAB Tower (walkable, lovely.. as long as the weather warms up a bit) - tickets from We Got Tickets. I managed to get an Early Bird ticket, but they're now sold out - regular and student tickets available.

On Saturday, that postponed trip with The Hideout to see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.. where, doubtless, we'll find out what the deal is with the weird, tracksuit-clothed people who popped up at the end of 28 Years Later, led by Jack O' Connell. Again written by Alex Garland, and again it stars Ralph Fiennes as the doctor studying the plague that has struck humanity. The venue has finally been announced as the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square - thank goodness, there was talk of it being at Picturehouse Central, and after the last time, I'm not keen on a repeat! Eating in Bella Italia beforehand, as usual - brunch, we're meeting so early! And we're apparently headed to the rather deafening All Bar One after the film.. ick.

And on Sunday, back with Rewind Tours of London for his Death, Disease and Fire Walking Tour. We shall see how similar it is to his Hallowe'en walk..