What's On
Kamishibai Capers - Japanese Storytelling
Saturday 8th October 2011 - 3.30 pm
Join Mio Shapley and Fergus McNicol
for a fun-filled afternoon. In kimono and kilt, Mio and Fergus will
bring a bicycle fitted out with their kamishibai theatre to offer
you illustrated stories from Japan. Suitable for families with
children from 5 to 12 years.
Venue: Settle Victoria Hall
Tickets: £8 (concessions £6)
Early Bird online discount price: £7 / £5 (until 15 Sept)
Click here to Buy Tickets online
Mio Shapley
Mio Shapley tells stories that celebrate the wonders, mysteries,
wisdom and magic of the natural world in all its many colours. These
she enriches with the accompaniment of her harp.
Her contagious enthusiasm, charm, music and sheer sense of fun enter
the texture of her tellings drawing her audiences of every age into
the old magic of her craft. A craft born in the high Japanese Alps
where she grew up. Her stories also inspire peace, tranquillity and
respect for all of creation.
Mio’s collection of traditional Japanese folk tales is ever
expanding and over the past eight years, wooed by Scottish/Gaelic
music, she has also tuned her harp to a repertoire of these
beautiful melodies. The combination of storytelling and harp is so
fascinating that the audiences are naturally led to the wonderland.
Her international “Kamishibai” storyboard and language games unite
cultures in friendship.
In beautiful kimono, Mio performs folk and zen stories and brings an
elegance and grace to the Tea Ceremony into her harp playing.
Over the past 12 years Mio has performed in Canada, Japan, France
and other parts of the UK. She believes the oral tradition of
storytelling is the strengthening bond of the community and sees it
as the seed of life.
Fergus McNicol
Fergus McNicol tells a wide range of tales including Irish legends
of Finn McCool and Cuchullain, Scottish folk tales, Norse and Greek
myths, environmentally themed stories and his own tales. He also
loves to tell participative stories for younger audiences with
plenty of songs and rhymes to join in with. In addition to his own
storytelling, with Mio Shapley, Fergus forms one half of
storytelling duo “Kilts & Kimonos” who specialize in Japanese
kamishibai storytelling with a Scottish twist!
Fergus’s lively and humorous style engages younger audiences,
teenagers and adults. He also frequently sings songs accompanied by
his guitar during performances, encouraging the audience to join in!
He finds storytelling to be the ideal way to connect with people,
both young and old and believes that each person takes from a tale
something that calls out to them personally. He has worked
extensively on story-creating projects integrating storytelling with
other art forms such as shadow puppetry, model making, digital
imaging and environmental art.
Born in Glasgow, Fergus later lived for periods in the USA and
Canada. He now lives in Edinburgh with his wife Claire and four year
old daughter Freyja, both of whom are great storytellers! As a
primary school teacher for the past 15 years, Fergus has always
incorporated storytelling into his classroom to the delight of his
pupils! Fergus has told tales in many schools and libraries as well
as at a variety of festivals including the Edinburgh International
Book Festival and The Scottish International Scottish Storytelling
Festival. In addition to his native Scotland, he has performed in
the USA, Sweden and Norway.