Shay Mace
Gathered around a homely dressed stage, with the as yet unexplained ‘storytelling rug’ at the centre, four storytellers have assembled to explore facets of queer identity – both their own, and the ones who have shaped their lives. What becomes immediately apparent, however, is that we have been invited for this all to very much become our living room, a place where our queerness can be examined but a place feel at home, with chosen family and friends, and share our own tales with the group. Ringleader Turan Ali masterfully weaves earnest community-building with triumphant storytelling the spellbinding evening that is Queer Folks’ Tales, a repeating and ever changing event that is likely to leave you coming back for more.
Ali introduces each of his guests within the context of the evening – there will be two ‘big’ stories from each of them, and the guests are rotated at each instance he has performed this show, creating a returning audience that outed themselves as around a third of our crowd on this particular evening at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh. It’s easy to see why – the line-up arranged was considerately put together, featuring musical storytelling from Glasgow-based performer Raveloe, nostalgic humour in the stories of Canadian-born, Edinburgh-based stand-up comic Heather Kondak Ross, and formidable structure and delivery from Portobello’s resident crime fiction writer Emma Christie.
But it is the heart of the concept that shines most brightly, as in the interval we are asked to write our own queer tales (with the guidance that we may cover anything we wish, as briefly as we wish, so long as it not be too nipple-oriented – which I’ll leave Turan to explain when you attend your first show). The most striking of these tales are then dutifully read out by each of the on-stage storytellers in the second act, in a moment ringing with gentle, and bountiful, joy.
As master of ceremonies, Turan is a deft hand at tuning the room into the idea, and making it clear that virtually no topic is out of bounds be it relevant to the queer audience he so magnetically draws into each performance. Even the thoughts and stories of our allies (cheekily dubbed ‘Hetties‘ on the night) are welcome to be placed within the patchwork tapestry of stories on offer. Topics ranging from grief to first kisses, hook-ups in parks through to homophobia and how to combat it, all fit so naturally within the boundless openness created in the room.
Queer Folks’ Tales is the kind of show that reminds you of the true value of the oral tradition and of community within the community. Compassionate, joyful, and inherently sweet-tempered, you shouldn’t miss the next big queer roadshow near you.
You can next catch Queer Folks’ Tales as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe on Wednesdays 12th, 19th and 26th at the Scottish Storytelling Centre from 20:30. Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
