Stepping into the Green Square Library on a mid-November Friday would have greeted visitors to a very lively sight: countless attendees in a sea of chatter, volunteers hastily setting up the stage and storytellers biting their lips as they skim through their slides for any discrepancies.
“DIY attitudes” and engaging stories fueled the humble return of (Extra)ordinary Tales on 14th November. With the success of the first iteration (back in September), the collaborative minds from All the Best and Read to Me knew that a follow-up was needed.
The reasons for checking out the event were as vast as the attendance figures. For a few, they were “craving some art and some inspiration”; whilst one attendee was unexpectedly invited by their Tricking Martial Arts classmate.
During this second iteration, the audience was treated to a diverse collection of six stories that explore the spectacular aspects of everyday life. Stories ranging from a group of mates enjoying a casual hangout during NYE, the dilemma of accidentally bringing a knife on a plane, as well as the life of a skin tag between breasts. Every story was a surprising journey to be a part of as an audience member.
The event opened with a comically touching tale called A Good Man; a deep dive into finding gender affirmation through the power of nicknames given to by strangers. Jay De Leon Lagman is a local trans-masc animator and illustrator who prides on sharing silly stories to all. His comedic approach to storytelling shone alongside the personal anecdotes he shared. His expressive comic-book illustrations gave greater emphasis to the subtle reactions that come from the most mundane of verbal exchanges.
Whilst on the other end of the gender spectrum, I found Jay’s story to be the most profound and relatable to me. Whilst a filler in a sentence, being referred to as “dal” or “ma’am” by randoms tends to spark a light in my soul; I can only imagine what “brother” and “dude” does for a trans king.
As seamless as these stories were presented, a lot of time, practice and revisions were no doubt a part of making these stories possible. But exactly how much of an impact did they have? For local animator and storyteller Miles Mazzacato, completing his story required a last-minute all-nighter and a sacrifice of his body clock. This determined and very personal investment to creativity shares a few links to his piece titled: A Crime of Ration; a personal account of an up-and-coming chef that takes her culinary passion to grotesque extremes. Through his last-minute sprint to completion, Miles captures the graphic spiral into excessive work and insanity with his imaginative yet lurid visuals that center on body-horror. Imagery that gravely provoked thoughts reminiscing the work of David Cronenburg.
It should be noted that dedication into making an incredible story shouldn’t be primarily fueled by all-nighters and solo work. For the five weeks leading up to the big night, all the storytellers found themselves in an environment that thrived on collaboration. With the commencement of the first workshop, burgeoning ideas would soon flourish into their fully fleshed-out potential as each storyteller presented their ideas and absorbed feedback from others. Once storytellers were paired with sound designers, the creative process for each piece became more defined, as the narrative vision merged with the technical know-how.
Before they knew it, their ideas became drafts, then scripts with visuals and then an opportunity to rehearse. Countless practice runs later and these once incipient pitches evolved into fantastical journeys for an audience in the triple digits. Some say sequels are never quite as good as the first. But with the triumphant outcome of (Extra)ordinary Tales #2, such a statement isn’t inherently true.
The immersive live readings from Read to Me aren’t relegated to two-time events. For more intimate tales with big pictures, you can check out the group’s activities on Instagram as well as Facebook.
Furthermore, Read to Me is always on the lookout for aspiring storytellers and visual artists. If any of those roles match your ambitions, be sure to share your interest via their email address: livegraphicstorytelling@gmail.com
All The Best,
Lindsey
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