Moth & Butterfly – A night of Storytelling and Improvisation
Wednesday, February 21 @ 7.30 pm
Katie’s Claddagh Cottage and Arts Centre, the Claddagh
Admission €5 on the door
The stove will be lit and the big kettle on.
All are welcome to what is regularly described as “Galway’s warmest Arts Night” – a night of storytelling & improvisation from both the Moth and Butterfly Creative Team as well as *optional* contributions from the audience. You can tell too!
Tickets are €5. The theme for February is ‘Windows & Doors’.
Moth & Butterfly brings together the art forms of both Storytelling & Improvisation.
There will be three types of storytelling on the night:
Moth style stories must be short, true, thematic, and feature the teller themselves as a character. A homage to the wonderful ‘Moth’ storytelling, stories run about 8 or 9 mins but shorter is fine.
Much more interesting than jokes or a yarn, the team always prefer a story of something that has had an impact on you or something important to you. It can be funny of course but by no means has to be. Think of it as a story that changed you in some way, however small. We love your truth, warts and all!
Improvised stories will be created fresh on the spot – no two are the same! There are different improvisational formats including: ‘Stories From The Hat’ (where members of the audience pick an object for the story) and ‘Found In Translation’ (where the tellers improvise and translate bilingually).
Freefall stories are all other stories that still fit the theme – from fiction to fairy tales to tall tales.
This is a night for oral storytelling, so no reading or notes allowed – just pure story! The night is for both tellers and listeners, for without good listeners; there would be no good stories! There will be opportunity for people to tell and also to just sit comfortably and join in the journey of the imagination.
Although everyone loves poems, stand-up and songs, this night is to create a space for stories and improvised stories, so please respect the format and keep your talents for the many great nights in Galway that showcase these other forms.
Great stories invite us in for a listen. They don’t always have to be funny by any means (but they can be!). They draw from a wide emotional palette. We love to laugh, but also to cry, to growl, to gasp. The Moth and Butterfly crew invite people to tell stories from the heart.
Who we are
The Moth & Butterfly Creative Crew is made up of professional performers, writers and storytellers. They were inspired by the transformational nature of improvisation (Butterfly) along with many ‘true tale’ traditions from around the world, particularly the wonderful ‘Moth’ tradition that originated in the USA, and thought that the two combined would make for a very special night. They are delighted to share this with Galway audiences.
As people continue to discover this little secret, regulars will know the night can get busy. If you know for sure you would like to tell a story, you can always email the crew in advance (to request a telling spot) to: mothandbutterflystories@gmail.com
If there are an excess of tellers, the Moth & Butterfly crew will draw names.
Doors will open about 10 mins before 7.30, and the night will start soon after.
Admission on the night is €5 – tickets on the door.
*** Please note that the current venue does not have an alcohol licence to sell drinks, but serves delicious tea/coffee and some sweet treats. You are welcome to come with something stronger yourself. 😉
Doors open at 7.20PM and aiming for a ‘softish’ 7.30 start. Please come on time to ensure you get a seat.
As some stories are true ones, and from the audience, Moth & Butterfly cannot predict content or adult language. An audience age of 18+ is suggested but feel free to check with them regarding discretion.
Audience members come from all over the globe; Moth & Butterfly welcomes your feedback.
“This show was the highlight of our visit to Ireland” – Maura, Galway Theatre Festival Audience Member
“There’s nothing quite like this night in Ireland – thank you for putting it on, it is spectacular” – James, Audience Member
“A really lovely night – thank you for creating something very special, we’re already looking forward to the next one…” – Michael, Moth and Butterfly audience member.
For more information check out the Moth and Butterfly Facebook page.
Location:
Katie’s Claddagh Cottage and Arts Centre is little gem of a venue, tucked away, and set back from the road, so please have a look at this map in advance so you don’t get lost! There is also some parking in the grounds of the cottage itself.
Moth and Butterfly have just recently got a listing on Tripadvisor, so please pop them a review if you have been to the night! They’d really appreciate it.
