This April mac Birmingham will host Listening for Landscape, a weekend of storytelling. Throughout the three day event visitors will gather round to listen to exciting tales of adventure and romance, from some of the UK’s brightest spoken word and musical talents including Katrice Horsley, Michael Harvey, Simon Heywood and Stacey Blythe.

In recent years storytelling has enjoyed a revival, and has become an increasingly popular art form for artists and audiences alike. Eager to support and develop this resurgence, mac’s storytelling weekend will move beyond a nostalgic return to traditional culture, to explore storytelling as a contemporary art practice. Focusing on the relationship between landscape, history and storytelling, the tales will delve into the geographical and historical environment of Birmingham and beyond.

Opening the weekend, Myths of Mercia will give audiences the chance to come on an imaginative journey through myth and time, from the secrets buried beneath the Clent Hills, to the worldly vigour of Birmingham landmark the Bullring.  Another highlight of the weekend will be Hunting the Giant’s Daughter which mixes an ancient Arthurian legend and love story with gorgeous, jazz influenced music to create a multi dimensional performance twisting through landscapes of Wales, Ireland and Britain. Audience members themselves will also have a chance to get in on the action; in Your Legends, Your Lands visitors will be invited to share their own stories of places which have special significance to them. These shared stories will then form the basis of a unique performance Telling the Land by five outstanding interpreters of storytelling and song, Michael Harvey, Lynne Denman, Simon Heywood, Stacey Blythe and Nick Hennessey.

Produced in association with Adverse Camber, Listening for Landscape will be a celebration of storytelling, encouraging new audiences to engage with this revived art form.

Naomi Wilds, Adverse Camber’s producer comments,

It’s really exciting to have a whole weekend of storytelling, from tales which have been passed down through hundreds of voices to those being told for the very first time. Given the recent threat to sell off forests attracting huge opposition and increasing awareness of private ownership of public space, it feels timely to explore stories of landscape which mix tradition and contemporary resonances. We’re delighted to have the chance to bring such passionate stories and storytellers to mac and to find out more about the stories which are unique to people visiting the venue over the weekend.

Admission Details and Times
Fri 1 – Sun 3 Apr, throughout the day
Various Spaces
Weekend ticket £15 (£10)
Performance Schedule:

mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH

www.macarts.co.uk