In an hour, the King is to have his nap. Before he does this, he has to have his favourite nap-time story read to him, but this story has been stolen by the Troll of Bad Storytelling. Master Tenjin, master storybuilder, and Bridget, apprentice story-teller, have to to get it back within the hour or there will be big trouble. Worse, the troll has destroyed the bridge leading to his lair! In Storyland, all bridges are built of stories. Master Tenjin knows how to build a good story, but never has any ideas, and Bridget has lots of enthusiasm but doesn't know where to start. This is where the audience comes in: they provide the ideas, each one a brick on the bridge representing each stage of the story.

May 11, 2023    The Wee Review

the wee review - Story Builders

Canny storytelling skills shared with children
The Interactive Storytelling Collective are busy hothousing young minds. From ‘once upon a time’ to ‘happily ever after’, children are discovering the essential building blocks to create their own ingenious tall tales and small stories.
Some like to keep it in the family but this particular family enthusiastically share their storytelling expertise with us all. The Interactive Storytelling Collective consists of actors, storytellers, imagineers, engineers (and in this case), brother and sister Hess and Alex, and their dad – Jim Bryce Hill.
Story Builders has a story within a story of course. The audience is challenged to find a replacement tale for King Hans, whose mandatory bedtime story has been stolen by a grumpy troll. The audience embark on a journey to build a new ‘arc’ of a story for the King, experiencing the joyful (sometime arduous!) process of creative storytelling whilst sitting on a comfy cushion.
The team skilfully encourage everyone to contribute in an inclusive manner. A perversely enigmatic and slightly vicious comedic troll keeps interrupting the show, providing a shot of energy when ideas are flagging. Hess finally brings it altogether beautifully. She is quite astounding in her ability to remember the twists and turns of a complicated, sometimes illogical plot line. She ties it all up nicely with a pretty bow on top to present to the King.
Less of a show, more of a workshop – it is intimate, interactive and for lively imaginations willing to contribute, highly rewarding. …...Bring your creative juices.
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