Frequent readers of my website will know how much I live and breathe arts festivals, and when I heard that a new fringe festival was debuting in Barnes, South-West London this weekend, I couldn’t wait to share the news. The core theme of ’Fireside Folktales’ is storytelling and returning to the roots of theatre making. Every performance will be stripped back and without lighting rigs, special effects and formal sound set-ups (except for a performer/company’s own speakers). In a world where everything is digital and becoming even more high tech, this certainly sounds like a unique and thoughtful arts experience. The festival will take over four spaces around the Barnes Green for the weekend: Barnes Methodist Church Hall, Barnes Methodist Church – Sanctuary, Barnes Green Centre and Rose House. The programme excitingly features over 15 events, including plays, improvisation, workshops and more.
Creatives behind the festival
The festival is a collaboration between Shadow Road Productions’ Artistic Director Emma King-Farlow and Co-Producer Amy Floyd, and is being presented under the company’s banner. At its heart, this is a festival for the Barnes community and Emma’s father David King-Farlow has even gotten involved with spreading the word locally. Thanks to a supportive team, the festival has come together over the past few months.
Emma says “One of the central ideas behind the Fireside Folktales Barnes Fringe Festival is that storytelling has always been one of the ways human beings make sense of the world – and of each other. Stories carry memory, imagination, warning, humour and empathy through history and across generations – and, at a time when the world feels increasingly divided and disconnected, we wanted to create something that brought people back together again through live shared experiences.”
Shows on the schedule
Here are a few of the shows that you can expect over the weekend, covering theatre, film and folklore. The full list is available via the Shadow Road Productions website.
Resurgam
A moving new theatrical/musical piece inspired in part by Jane Eyre and partly by the performer’s own life. Performance time: 1.15pm on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May. Location: Barnes Methodist Church – Sanctuary
The Little Broomstick Rider
An imaginative independent folkloric film project by Matteo Bernardini, originally created during lockdown. Performance time: 10:45am on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May. Location: Barnes Methodist Church Hall
Aesop’s Fables: The Harvest Festival
A lively family storytelling production designed especially for younger audiences, but full of humour and warmth for adults as well. Performance time: 11am on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May. Location: Barnes Green Centre
The Rise, Fall & Spooky Stories of Richmond Palace
An entertaining look at local history and folklore connected to Barnes and Richmond’s past, presented by Mark Lucas. Performance time: 6pm on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May. Location: Barnes Methodist Church Hall
Musicals, Myths & Magic
A night of musical storytelling on Saturday 23rd May with acclaimed actor and singer Fed Zanni. Performance time: 7.15pm on Saturday 23rd May. Location: Barnes Methodist Church – Sanctuary
Baker Street Ladies and 1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie
Festival circuit regulars Andrew Slade and Lexi Wolfe are presenting two pieces at the festival. On both days ‘Baker Street Ladies’ is scheduled for 1.50pm in the Barnes Green Centre venue and ‘1 King, 2 Princes & Shakespeare’s Lie’ is planned for 6pm in Barnes Methodist Church.
Looking ahead to the weekend’s events
I wish Emma, Amy and the Shadow Road team all the best for the weekend ahead. Hopefully this is the start of something really exciting for South-West London locals.
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