Changing focus during Corona times
After five years organising shows in our beloved city of Wageningen and surroundings we have grown from once-a-month stand-up comedy shows to 4-5 shows a month (pre-COVID times) ranging from our usual stand-up to improvisational theatre and storytelling. Each of the shows we organise are special to us in different ways but today I want to focus on one of them: the storytelling nights. More specifically, the Wageningen Storytelling Nights. We started hosting them back in 2017 because we had the fortune to experience a storytelling evening in Amsterdam’s Mezrab which left us reeling and buzzing with excitement at the prospect of creating a similar vibe in our hometown.
Fast forward a couple of years and the evenings multiplied and started developing personalities, well, themes. Each night was meant to have a unique theme from awkward mom stories, to real-life accidents, cringe-worthy tinder-dates, and awe-inspiring travel stories. We have had all types of storytellers from a variety of nationalities with even more diverse experiences. Which has made for great real-life stories being told in front of an audience. You know if you have been to one (wink).
After five years doing live 2-hour shows that people can only experience once in a lifetime, we have started craving for something with more longevity. Perhaps, even leave a little legacy behind which you could enjoy, even if you have not been able to attend one of these special nights. Ever since the pandemic hit and all of the cultural sector has shut down, we have been thinking what we could do to keep what we do relevant to all of our new realities. We don’t have the infrastructure and equipment to recreate our shows for online viewing and maintain the same quality experience. “So what could be an alternative?” we wondered. A book!
Looking Forward
Fueled with this new idea, Emma emailed all of the storytellers who came through our stage and asked them if they would be willing to share a story that they had told at one of our nights or even a new one. We could not have dreamed of a more positive and supportive response from them. We were worried some people wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing their stories as some them touch upon very sensitive subjects but even then many were still willing. We have included an anonymous section for this purpose. We are still in the editing phase but we can confirm there is a great mix of funny, surprising, terrifying and emotional stories reflecting the human condition.
We do not have a publishing date yet but it will hopefully be out by September 2020. Since we are a small organisation we need to be careful to order enough books so if you are interested in getting your hands on one you can sign-up via the link below and leave us your email and your preference for digital or print versions of the book.
We thank you for your support!
