There’s something delicious about hearing a tale as told by a true storyteller. I’m not talking about hearing one read aloud from a book, but rather hearing one told with the drama and passion of someone whose voice becomes the story. Someone who makes the words come alive in your head and in your heart until you can see the people and places when you close your eyes. Storytelling is an art, and Owen Staton has put together a wonderful collection of stories steeped in Welsh folklore and told in the grand tradition of an epic storyteller.
Owen, who hails from Wales, is a performer and storyteller who has travelled the world sharing traditional Welsh stories that entertain adults and children alike. Now, he’s released a CD with some of his favorites, giving everyone a chance to experience a little piece of his heritage. Tales from the New Inn: Stories from the Dark Heart of the Valley contains five stories, each centering around a small inn that has long since fallen into disrepair. There be ghosts, and fairies and even the devil here, so these aren’t for the faint of heart. They’re wonderfully spooky, the kinds of stories that make you want to turn on the lights,and they’re a great opportunity to teach kids a bit about myth and legend.
It’s one thing to be told that a new storyteller in town was once the highlight of a person’s day, with new and exciting stories to hear. It’s another thing to actually hear one work his magic and appreciate how the words he chooses and the way they’re spoken creates images more vivid and real than what we see on a giant screen in a theater. And although we’ve all heard stories about ghosts and goblins, these stories, in the best tradition of folklore, are really about how evil traps us with our own poor choices. Is it the evil creatures that fool us, or do we simply fool ourselves?
Order your own copy of Owen Staton’s Tales from the New Inn: Stories from the Dark Heart of The Valley and experience a bit of storytelling magic, just be sure to turn on all the lights first.
