Oral Storytelling
StorySquad strives to preserve and stage the traditional form of oral Storytelling. Oral Storytelling does not need either scenography, costumes or props. It’s all very minimalistic. By using body, voice and other means, StorySquad is trying to create internal imagery, thus the audience is invited to travel into the story itself.
StorySquad can offer stories told solo, in duos and group performances. We also offer workshops focusing on communication and presentation tailored for your business.
StorySquad (established in January 2018) has it´s base in Oslo, Norway, and are currently working on projects both at home and abroad.
Stories
Do you need a story or performance for your event?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch – we tailor your entertainment to you!
In 2019 we play the following performances:
The White Bear King Valemon
The White Bear King Valemon is a group-performance where the four of us tells the old Norwegian folktale “Kvitebjørn Kong Valemon”. In the folktale we meet a cursed Prince who falls in love with our hero, Vilja. The spell curse him into being a man at night and a white bear during the day. Vilja is the only one who can break the spell. She travels from Winterland to Summerland to live with the white bear. But one day she breaks a promise, and he’s forced to leave her and marry the witch. Follow Vilja on her journey to find him and fight to get him back.
The performance was made on the occasion of “Kulturnatt” in Oslo 2018. Since then it has been played several times in Norway – and then translated into english and performed in Scotland at Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh and at The Stove in Dumfries. This autumn we’re travelling to Marrakech to play it for an arabic audience. The performance can be played in english or norwegian.
Age: from 6 years.
Duration: 40 minutes.
Language: English/Norwegian
The Ash Lad
The Ash Lad is a duo-performance with and by Ine Mariel Solbakken and Suzanne Øfjord. This performance combines the two norwegian folktales The Ash Lad who had an eating match with the Troll and The Princess who always has to have the last word. We get to know the Ash Lad, the youngest of three brothers who has to use his cleverness against the troll in an eating match – before he later sets out on a journey to win the Princess who always has to have the last word.
The performance was made on the occasion of the 16th Storytelling Festival at the Island Kea in Greece in 2018. There the performance was played in english for a greek audience. Since then it has been played for an arabic audience in Marrakech and in Norway for a norwegian audience. The performance can be played in either english or norwegian.
Age: from 4 years.
Duration: 30 minutes.
Language: English/Norwegian
Workshops
Do you want to learn more about the artform of oral storytelling or good presentation techniques? StorySquad works in Norway and abroad.
Book StorySquad for workshops in storytelling and presentation techniques.
Meet the people
Ine Mariel Solbakken +
Ine Mariel Solbakken (1992) are the Storyteller and founder of StorySquad. She’s a Storyteller and Drama Teacher graduated from OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, and has a BA in Drama and Theatre. She’s also a graduated Musical Artist from Bårdar Academy. Ine Mariel wants to continue to pass on Storytelling by making stories more available and relevant for children and adults by incorporating music and movement together with the story.
Suzanne Øfjord +
Suzanne Øfjord (1992) is one of the Storytellers and founders of StorySquad. She studied Storytelling as a part of her BA in Drama and Theatre at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University. She has studied movement and scenography at the Laboratory of Movement Study (LEM) at the school for physical theatre in Paris, École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq. Suzanne likes to work with the visual, like pictures and drawings in combination with Storytelling.
Synne Marie Lillenes +
Synne Marie Lillenes (1992) is one of the Storytellers and founders of StorySquad. She studied Storytelling at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, and has a BA in Drama and Theatre from Høgskulen i Volda. Synne likes to work with personal stories and believes that humor is our strongest weapon.
Thea Madelén Petersen +
Thea Madelén Petersen (1992) is one of the Storytellers and founders of StorySquad. She’s a Storyteller and Drama Teacher graduated from OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, and has a BA in Drama and Theatre from Høgskulen i Volda. Thea likes to work with character expressions in fairy tales where voice and body is in focus. She also has a passion for personal stories.