Tell a story
Spark London is the place to tell your true story. Stories are seven minutes or less and must be connected to one of our themes. If you have a story to tell email us a paragraph outlining what happened in 400 words or less. All our storytellers get in contact with us before the show and take part in a rehearsal.
Spark London Open Mic nights are another opportunity to get on your feet and tell your story. Stories are five minutes and no notes are aloud.
What will I get out of telling my story?
What is the format?
We take a theme and people from different walks of life share their own true
stores in front of an audience. Stories are kept inside a strict time limit,
even great things are better in small doses. After the show there is a chance
to meet other members of the audience and the storytellers.
I’ve got a story what next?
Decide whether you want to go for an open mic night or a curated event.
Open mic
Turn up and tell a true story connected to the theme of the evening.
Stories can be up to 5 minutes long. When you arrive on the night put your
name down with the host. You can expect to hear about 10 stories at an
open mic event. This even is for telling poems singing songs, wraps or
rhymes.
Curated
These shows are organised in advance.
Stories must be true, your own story and connected to the theme of the evening. For those who would prefer to work on their story in advance and take part in a rehearsal our curated nights are best for you.
Interested? Send us up to 200 words outlining your story to Joanna@sparklondon.com or use the submission form on the home page.
What makes a good story?
A great story involves a transition of some kind. By the end of the story the
main character, that’s you, has revealed something unknown at the start. What’s
the trigger for a transition? That’s were the drama comes in, the unexpected
event that puts you to the test, turns the heat up and demands that you step
up. This could be the day you got stuck in a lift, lost your passport,
discovered your partner was having an affair or even the day you forgot to
close the fridge door.
Three tips
1. Start your story in the action. Find an opening line that grabs the audience and makes them sit up and listen to you.
Examples
‘I started 2009 with everything you could expect from a successful middle class
life. I had Things like a job, a flat, long term partner a keen interest in
composting.'
‘At six months old a pigeon pooed in my eye.’
‘I ran away from home at the age of 12 and never ever went to live with parents again.’
2. Know your closing line. Keep it crisp and punchy so your story goes out on a high.
Examples
‘I should have eaten that bloody birthday cake myself.’
‘And as I drove off into the midnight sunset, my badass self started to wonder whether my gibbering shaky self knew what it was doing all along!’
3. Stick to what actually happened and tell the truth. Tell your story as if you are reporting events that could have been seen through a camera at the time.
Example:
Like this ‘His eyes looked straight at me and his face went from pink to red to crimson.’
Not like this ‘I could tell he was really angry’
What will I get out of telling my story?
We’ve asked some of our pervious storytellers to tell us what they’ve got out of sharing their stories.
“I realised you don't have to be trained in performance to still be riveting while standing alone on a stage. All you need is a story.”
“The Theme of night inspired me to find my stories. That is one of the big gifts Spark has given me.”
“Telling my story at Spark London was a revelation. Direct communication with the audience, continuing afterwards in the bar and on email; the way people relate their own experiences directly to yours ('I went there!'; 'I had a boyfriend who did that...'), a tangible sense of getting your voice back, in more ways than one.”
“The rehearsal before the performance brought out some new angles to my story. My story improved under Joanna’s guidance.”
I'm nervous
It’s natural but don’t let it stop you.
Stories are about overcoming challenges this is just another one you can overcome.
I don’t have any good stories
You almost certainly do.
Some stories will be defined by time and place e.g. The romantic gesture that went wrong. Others could span decades. Below are some questions to get you thinking about what some of your stories could be. We also run storytelling workshops to help you find your stories (insert link) and develop your stories further.
1. Blood is thicker than water. Is this true in your experience? What happened?
3. What is your most embarrassing memory of adolescence?
4. What has been one of the biggest barriers you’ve come up against in work, life or relationships? How have you overcome it?
4. Who, other than your parents, has had a significant influence on your life?
5. What is one of the big crossroads you have encountered in your life?
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