Cantasoria Performance Making on 25th, 27th, 30th of July, 10th & 24th Aug

Cantastoria comes from Italian for "story-singer" and is known by many other names around the world. It's a form of theatre where a performer tells or sings a story while gesturing to a series of images. These images can be painted, printed or drawn on any sort of material.

We'll be exploring the spoken languages of North Edinburgh to make a series of banners that celebrate the word "harvest" in its many forms.

We'll also devise and write short pieces of text for song or spoken word to make a Cantasoria Performance that will be set to live instrumentation at our Harvest Festival (on Sep 10th 2pm - 5pm).

Session 1 on Monday 25th July (11-1 & 2-4) : we'll begin by sharing the word "Harvest" as it is spoken in the known languages of North Edinburgh and design the banners that will form the visual component of the Cantasoria Performance.

Session 2 Wednesday 27th July (11-1 & 2-4) : collaborative writing sessions led by local writer and musician Hailey Beavis to create text for the spoken word / song that will accompany the Cantasoria.

Session 3 Saturday 30th July (11-1 & 2-4) : visual art day, painting / printing the banners.

Session 4 Wednesday 10th August (6pm - 8pm) : Cantasoria Performance Rehearsal. We'll have percussive and toy instruments on hand to devise the live accompaniment. These musical cues will be led by our musician in residence Jose Rojas.

Session 5 Wednesday 24th August (6pm - 8pm) : Cantasoria Performance Rehearsal. We'll have percussive and toy instruments on hand to devise the live accompaniment. These musical cues will be led by our musician in residence Jose Rojas. If you are signing up to rehearse and it says that all tickets are sold out please email emma@lauristonfarm.org to register interest.

Saturday 10th September : Cantasoria Performance at Lauriston Farm (exact timing of the performance to be confirmed, but it will take place at the Harvest Festival Event which is from 2pm - 5pm). If you are signing up to rehearse and it says that all tickets are sold out please email emma@lauristonfarm.org to register interest.

No previous experience necessary.

Sign up to either the full 6 day course, or just the sessions you can make it along to - it's possible to join in at the rehearsal stage if you would like to be part of the performance at the Harvest Festival.

All ages are welcome, under 14's must be accompanied by an adult. If you're signing up with an under 14 year old, please just select one ticket. We'll be working outdoors (under cover), so please wear weather appropriate clothing that you don't mind getting a bit messy.

Our team who will facilitate the workshops for this project are :

visual artist & performance maker - Emma Brierley

ethnographer - Agnes Taiti

songwriter and musician - Hailey Beavis

musician in residence - Jose Rojas

We encourage participants to travel by foot, bike or public transport when possible.

Lothian Buses: 16, 27,29 and 37 all come very close to the farm - within a few minutes walk from the bus stop. We'll be working in or near to the Unexpected Garden which is located just through the gate that leads off the Toby Carvery car park on Lauriston Farm Road, EH4 5EX.

There is limited car parking available at the Toby Carvery car park, otherwise there's ample residential parking in the neighbouring areas.

Access info : there is hard standing from the Toby Carvery car park to the sheltered area which is accessible by wheelchair. Please contact us directly in advance to discuss any further access needs and we'll do our best to support your inclusion at our event.

The above image is of a Cantasoria performance made by our friends in the USA, Royal Frog Ballet.

For more examples of Cantasoria's take a look here :

A fun musical Cantasoria from the Second Line Social Aid and Pleasure Society

A clip from a Cantasoria that was part of Bread and Puppet's Man = Carrot Pageant

A narrated Cantasoria with 2D puppets made and performed for a union protest in Albany, NY March 23, 2022

Documentation from Detroit's first Cantasoria Festival