Joanne Harris And The #storytime Band

Joanne Harris and the #Storytime Band

Joanne Harris is best known as a writer. Her 1999 novel, Chocolat, was made into an OSCAR nominated, and multiple award winning film. Since then she has written many more books, taking in themes of folk-magic,
food, psychological-thriller, and Norse legend.

However, what is less well known is that she is a mean flute player and writer of music with her band, #Storytime.

Some years ago Joanne started storytelling on Twitter using the tag #Storytime. This led to a book, then a band, and now two albums and a live show. The stories told and songs sung tell of dream flowers, camel
herders, crows, undersea queens, folklore and magic.

We are delighted to welcome Joanne and her band to The Lantern Theatre where they will be performing songs and music, including pieces from the "#Storytime" and "Pocket Full Of Crows" albums.

Joanne will be supported by singer/songwriter Duncan Parsons. He will be playing tunes from his forthcoming album "Common Sense Dancing alongside others from his previous output, taking in songs about Ladybird Books, Children's TV, The Green Cross Code Man, and Robots.

This is going to be a fantastic, intimate evening of storytelling and music.

Joanne Harris #storytime on Twitter always offers an oasis of magic online (and sometimes some trenchant allegory). Storytime Live carefully builds on the framework of the tales, bringing the band shes been part of since her teenage years to perform at venues and festivals around the country. But the live version isnt simply story with music tacked-on something thats been part of storytelling for centuries but a completely fresh, integrated whole that merges story, music and song into a new whole. This CD offers a taster, four complete pieces that billow and bloom with emotions from sorrow to freedom.

A desert dweller who dreams of the sea, a jellyfish queen who falls in love with the moon, a woman who findswell, listen and discover for yourselves, sink into its spell. The songs offer both climax and counterpoint to the story, a different view that offers gentle illumination. The music is lushly rich, no matter whether its filigree and decoration for the telling or blossoming into majesty in a soft, winding twirl the surrounds and lifts the songs. Although the stories are new, they carry the patina of age in their ideas and style: timeless and wise in the way of a traditional teller, and the production gives everything a stunning, natural intimacy. Harris and the musicians have created something wonderfully fresh thats also deliciously deep and compassionate, a very rare combination; not only enjoyable but thought-provoking, too. Its magic you can take with you." (Chris Nickson)

The Storytime Band
Paul Marshall: keyboards; vocals; guitar
Kevin Harris: drums; vocals; percussion
Matt Cundy: bass; effects
Joanne Harris: flute; vocals