Storytelling is the most ancient form of performing art, for the innate desire human beings have always had to share personal thoughts and experiences with others. Potentially, storytelling has the same age of human language itself and, even now, it is felt as a highly rewarding form of artistic expression, for its power to create an immediate and unfiltered connection between the performer and their audience. Unfiltered, because in most instances – as in the one I went to see at the Canada Water Culture Space – the effectiveness of the message conveyed doesn't rely on the use of fancy props, makeup, costumes, nor on particularly elaborated audio-visual effects, to make an impact on the spectators.
Curated by Lucy Lill and Alys Torrance, Story Jam offers a season of events called 'Reel and Unravel', where storytelling and live music intertwine with fascinating results. Protagonist of the one I took part in, was Phil Okwedy, who shared his 'Rough Crossings' episodes with the support of the 30-strong London Shanty Collective. Born in Cardiff to a Welsh mother and Nigerian father, Okwedy took the audience on a long and perilous journey by sea, accompanied by the shanty musical repertoire, which is deeply rooted in the British maritime working-class. Back in the days of merchant sailing vessels, these songs accompanied the tasks of the sailors, providing a rhythm that allowed them to synchronise their input and minimise the effort.
