Beloved community true storytelling show ‘Story Slam’ celebrates 10 years

From humble beginnings with friends joining together in a crowded Stokes Croft café basement in March 2014, the monthly true storytelling show Story Slam has grown into a beloved community event with a loyal following.

With regular events taking place on the third Sunday of the month at The Wardrobe Theatre, Story Slam also produces 18+ ‘after dark’ shows, and releases a regular podcast of their live events.

Every month is underpinned by a different theme; from animals to forbidden fruit, and superheroes to risks and milestones.

Now on the cusp of their 10 year anniversary, over 1,600 storytellers have graced the Story Slam stage across +100 shows, sharing their personal tales of hilarity and heartbreak – among them actress Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) and Bristol comic Pravanya Pillay.

“Story Slam has consistently been one of The Wardrobe Theatre’s most cherished and popular regular events,” says Matthew Whittle, the venue’s artistic director and CEO.

“The community that has been created around this wonderful monthly show is a sparkling reminder of the power of live communal events to shape our culture and build strong social bonds.”

A triple celebration of the event’s first decade will include a regular storytelling night, as well as a special anniversary party, and the very first Story Slam show outside Bristol – set to take place at Weston-super-Mare’s Front Room Theatre.

Story Slam director and producer, James Williams

While reflecting on the milestone, Story Slam producer and director James Williams shared some memories of the event’s first decade.

Can you recall how the idea for Story Slam first began to take shape?

“The first show back in 2014 was part of a friend’s birthday celebrations. We were all fans of The Moth, a New York-based storytelling show, and were sad that something similar didn’t exist in the city, so we decided to make it!

“The first one was a huge success so it became a regular thing. We still remember when the first people who weren’t our friends started coming along, that was really exciting.”

How has the night evolved in the last decade?

“What started out as just some friends getting together in a café basement has changed massively, and nowadays it’s a professional theatre show, with technicians, photographers and a dedicated community.

“The biggest change was probably changing the venue to The Wardrobe Theatre. We were so cramped in the café basement, and always having to turn people away, so it was our first time actually being able to fit everyone in! It’s an amazing space, and the theatre crew have been so supportive over the years, we feel very lucky to have such a great venue. Otherwise there have been small changes to the organising team and format, but at its core it’s very similar to that first show.”

In what ways has the community that has built around Story Slam surprised, helped or delighted you over the years? Do audience members often turn into storytellers at a later date?

“The community constantly delights and surprises us. The sheer variety of stories are incredible. It’s not just stories of the normal and mundane, we’ve heard stories about war, displacement and stand-offs with wild animals. People are living incredible lives all around you. You never know what the person across from you on the bus has gone through.

“People often go from being audience members to storytellers, but sometimes people just love to listen to everyone else’s. We have members of our community who have been coming for years and never told a story.”

What are you most looking forward to about the 10th birthday events?

“We’re most looking forward to our party. We’re excited for our regular show, and excited to take the show out to Weston, but the party will be held 10 years to the day that we first started, and it will be something special. Loads of old faces and previous organisers will be there, along with lots of cake and music. We’re just excited to just let our hair down and celebrate with our community.

“We never dreamed we would still be doing this 10 years later, and it’s all because of the generosity and willingness of our audience. If you have ever been to a Story Slam you’re invited and you should come along!”

Photo: Diego Maeso (@diegomaeso)

Story Slam is at The Wardrobe Theatre on March 17, April 21, and the third Sunday of each month at 2pm. The Story Slam 10 Year Anniversary Party is at The Old Market Assembly Bar on March 19 at 7.30pm.

Tickets for all forthcoming Story Slam events in Bristol are available at www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com, with latest news and updates from @storyslambristol.

Story Slam: Firsts is at The Front Room, Weston-Super-Mare on March 24 at 6pm. Tickets are available at www.ticketsource.co.uk.

All photos (unless otherwise stated): Sarah Klein (@sarahkleinartist)

Read more: The Crick Crack Club announces spring season of storytelling at The Cube

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