The Chillingham Arms was bustling below as Xanthe Gresham Knight drew wondrous tales from her filled-to-bursting, shiny red bag. The evening unfolded like a living Choose Your Own Adventure, with audience members fishing out well-loved keepsakes from Xanthe’s bag of wonders to steer the flow of stories. What followed was an energetic feast for the ears and imagination.
Xanthe’s lyrically quick wit, sharp tongue, and comedic flair were punctuated not only by song and dance, but by accordion, maraca, and an impromptu choir of willing voices. She
by recounting how the bag first came into her possession before explaining the rules of the evening: each chosen object from her eclectic collection would dictate the next tale. Out came a skull maraca from Mexico, a sheepskin, a spinning top, knitting needles, flowers, mugwort – and more besides.The result was a performance that was part autobiography, part folk tale, and wholly immersive with a rhythm that carried the audience along. At first the items seemed random, but by the evening’s end a clear thread emerged like a melody weaving through the stories that bound everything together; including everyone in the room.
A Bit Crack rarely concludes with a ceilidh, yet the atmosphere Xanthe conjured made it just that: folk music, dancing, storytelling, and joyful participation. It was a wonderful launch to the autumn programme.
It’s safe to say, Xanthe conjured a magical evening from her bag of wonders and left the audience spellbound.