As the River Tells It

5 December 201425 May 2016 / AFTS

If you’re looking for a magical experience this December, then look no futher. As the River Tells It, is the final performance of the Words on the Wind series. Storyteller and resident oddity, Roslyn Quin takes the audience on a trip around the new myths of the Docklands.

Come and be enchanted by Roslyn Quin!

In the shadowy mirrors of her tales, immigrants tales transform in to soulful spirits, colourful characters feel a little too familiar, and a old monster gets a new breath of life. As The River Tells It, is an immersive, original storytelling performance of transformation, inspired by the myth and history of the Docklands. Roslyn brings her haunting tales to the stage with music, puppetry and movement, to draw the audience into a world of familiar strangeness and to wonder at the waters around them will be presenting a free hour long show with original tales exploring the local environment and history. All details on our Events page.

Have a magical weekend!

Belinda Calderone
AFTS Committee Member

Greetings from the Melbourne Fairy Tale Ring

3 December 201410 June 2015 / AFTS

Hale and hearken! Melbourne Fairy Tale Ring is sprouting. Circles are interlinking, sparking energy through fairy tales.

Our first gathering, near the fairy tree in Fitzroy Gardens, featured Toby Eccles, brilliant folklorist & storyteller with Jack and the Beanstalk. We had impromptu tales from Cindy-Lee Harper, who traces her indigenous heritage to the Pyemarriner People of North East Tasmania. Also gracing our circle was Zeinab Yazdanfar with Persian folktale of Mushkil Gusha; garnished with my Celtic-Italian fairy tale improvised with hoola-hoop twirls by Tiahna Bowie-ford. Fairy-colleague of Wonderwings Fairy Shop’s heyday, Mary-Lou Keaney, joined us, along with others beloved of story clans. Storytelling Australia (Vic) president Jackie Kerin blogged about it here.

Among us are folklorists, storytellers, illustrators, fantasy authors, teachers, troubadours, academics, librarians, healers, secretaries, parents, cooks, environmentalists…. we are regional, rural, urban, any age, race or creed… renewing old links, forging new ones. There is no formal membership to this ring. You might just feel like sharing a ditty, poem, ballad, riddle, recipe or charm online.
Flowing from the Australian Fairy Tale Society, every couple of months, state rings explore a theme. This season it’s “Little Red Riding Hood.” So I’m going basket-bunting. Ok, I made that phrase up. It means dressing in berry red & bonnet white, bringing red trinkets & cheer to the elderly. I’ve booked an afternoon tea visit to Bendigo’s Strathhaven mid December. The lifecoach was delighted. Also plotting a private one in Melbourne, with an elderly fairy, my storytelling mentor.

A photo of my very own antique bellows is attached. Do fairies use it to fire up wolves’ bottoms?

If you’re up for bonnet bunting, welcome to contact me; or why not try your own? (Word to the Wise: best not to bring food to an old-people’s-home in respect for OH&S, but if you call ahead & liaise with staff, many will welcome a spark to Happy Hour.)

No costume? No cape, white scarf, or red cap? How about a splash of gold glitter, if you’re into Lang’s lupine fire-branding Golden-Hood?

Welcome also to Roslyn Quin’s free storytelling show, As the River Tells It, on December 18 for the finale of the series Words on the Wind, with Storytelling Victoria (Australia). Roslyn is ushering in a new generation of savvy fairies with astonishing talent. Details on our Events page.

Old to young, our tale’s begun

Web-spun, spindle run
Fire drum, the wolf is done!

Louisa John-Krol
Melbourne Fairy Tale Ring

Escape to a Writing Haven this Weekend

28 November 201410 June 2015 / AFTS

Stuck for what to do this weekend? If you’re in NSW, there’s still time to escape to the Blue Mountains for an enchanting writing retreat. Get the stone rolling!

A Big Stone Rolls Inside

Award winning writers and theatre artists Cymbeline Buhler and Carla Billinghurst return to the Blue Mountains with their fireball approach to using theatre tools for writing practice. Join them in the writing haven!

When: November 29, 2014

Where: Blackheath Uniting Church Hall, Govetts Leap Rd, Blackheath, NSW

Flyer:

Click to enlarge

Little Red Riding Hood – Our Fairy Tale for December

24 November 201410 June 2015 / AFTS

Little Red Riding Hood – J.W. Smith

Good afternoon fairy tale enthusiasts!

Although our inaugural conference has been and gone for the year, the fairy tale conversations have continued with our Fairy Tale Rings. Our local branch discussion groups have brought fairy tale lovers together for some wonderful exchanges of ideas.

Our chosen fairy tale for December is beloved by many – “Little Red Riding Hood.” Even if you can’t manage to get to a Fairy Tale Ring, you are always welcome to send in stories or artwork inspired by the tale.

We’ve compiled a reading list to get the mental juices flowing! View it here: Little Red Riding Hood bibliography

For details of individual Fairy Tale Rings in your state, stay tuned to our Events page.

No Fairy Tale Ring in your state? Why not start your own? Contact us for more information.

May you all have an enchanting December… and feel free to stray from the path…

Belinda Calderone
Committee Member
Australian Fairy Tale Society

You made it Pozible. Thank you!

3 July 201410 June 2015 / AFTS

In the lead up to our inaugural conference we had a successful crowd funding campaign with Pozible. We can’t thank our supporters enough! We couldn’t have done it without your help.

Here you are (minus a few anonymous pledgers). Your names were also displayed at the conference… right near the little enchanted forest.

Artworks by Regan Kubucek.

Welcome to the Australian Fairy Tale Society’s new website!

14 May 2013 / AFTS

The AFTS sparked to life over a casual Facebook conversation between co-founders Reilly McCarron and Jo Henwood in July 2013. Since then the foundations of the society have been soundly built, we have a strong Founding Membership including internationally renowned fairy tale scholars Jack Zipes and Maria Tatar, a successful crowd funding campaign, and a wonderful inaugural conference to set us on our path of enchantment.

Our very first committee was elected at the conference on Monday 9th June, 2014, and I’d like to formally welcome Julie Mundy-Taylor as Vice President, Pam Blamey as Secretary, Danuta Raine as Treasurer, and Jo Henwood (co-founder), Belinda Calderone, and Thang D. Luong as committee members.

This website is a platform for fairy tale lovers across Australia, and beyond, to gather together around the ether-hearth and share in the magic of Australian fairy tales. It belongs to all of us so please feel free to contribute your fairy tale folklore, events, news, reviews, and comments.

Thanks for your interest and support.

From the depths of the forest,

Reilly McCarron.

AFTS President