History provides wonderful resources for the development of a persona for the middle ages (dark, high,and late periods).
It was also a time when cultures intersected - peacefully and otherwise - providing lots of inspiration.
I began doing medieval work while still in the history program at the University of Oklahoma and performed for several years on campus and off during the Norman Medieval Fair. A talented seamstress, proficient in historical garb, made the outfit and it has been used many times. Additional outfits for later periods and early Ren settings has been used as well. Currently, a "Travelers" persona is in the works. Similar to what were known as Gypsies these people were a group apart who simply shared a lack of attachment to a specific land holding. Some arose in Scotland and Ireland and were thought to be part of the early cattle industry and they followed the herds.
The wealth of storytelling resources is also great and I have found treasures in old legends, in historical facts, and in poems written during and after the period. The beauty is the early storytellers were like traders who met and swapped tales to expand or enrich their repertoires. This cultural cross pollination explains the many similarities in stories in geographically distant people groups. Such borrowing was expected and encouraged because the lure of the exotic is always strong in any audience.
Storytelling outside has many challenges. Storytelling is by nature a more intimate art form and shines in the humble home by the hearth, in a leafy glen with the music of the brook nearby, or by a bridge where travelers pause to rest. In other cultures, the storyteller in the market place is recognized and the behaviors ingrained in the audience. In our society, the mood, the variations of tone and volume, are all in competition with the ongoing conversations and general hub-bub. Attention spans, are also different and focus is harder won. Yet, even in these difficult and challenging settings the magic of story is such it causes people to stop, to stare, to listen.
Some of the stories:
"St. Jerome and the Lion"
"The Water of Life"
"The Fish of Wisdom"
"The Seal Woman"
I do storytelling using medieval tales but am also working on a program to include some educational aspects for use with groups such as classes. "Personas" are programs I am developing to do historical costumed programs.
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