Oral History Program Simon Brooks Interviewed by Michael Thompson 18 March 2021 Oral History Program Weber State University Stewart Library Ogden, Utah Simon Brooks Interviewed by Michael Thompson 18 March 2021 Copyright © 2022 by Weber State University, Stewart Library iii Mission Statement The Oral History Program of the Stewart Library was created to preserve the institutional history of Weber State University and the Davis, Ogden and Weber County communities. By conducting carefully researched, recorded, and transcribed interviews, the Oral History Program creates archival oral histories intended for the widest possible use. Interviews are conducted with the goal of eliciting from each participant a full and accurate account of events. The interviews are transcribed, edited for accuracy and clarity, and reviewed by the interviewees (as available), who are encouraged to augment or correct their spoken words. The reviewed and corrected transcripts are indexed, printed, and bound with photographs and illustrative materials as available. The working files, original recording, and archival copies are housed in the University Archives. Project Description The WSU Storytelling Festival was implemented by the Friends of the Stewart Library in 1992. The library sponsored and managed the annual festival until 1998, when the festival was moved to the Department of Teacher Education, with the Library continuing as a sponsor. The three-day festival entails storytellers from all over the nation, including youth storytellers. The events are made up of workshops and presentations, a fund-raising banquet, and a wrap-up of wonderful stories from gifted performers. This interesting collection includes oral history interviews with visiting storytellers, discussing how they became interested in storytelling and where they receive their inspiration. ____________________________________ Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through recorded interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events and a well-informed interviewer, with the goal of preserving substantive additions to the historical record. Because it is primary material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a spoken account. It reflects personal opinion offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it is partisan, deeply involved, and irreplaceable. ____________________________________ Rights Management This work is the property of the Weber State University, Stewart Library Oral History Program. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text. It is recommended that this oral history be cited as follows: Brooks, Simon, an oral history by Michael Thompson, 18 March 2021, WSU Stewart Library Oral History Program, University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University, Ogden, UT. Simon Brooks February 2022 1 Abstract: The following is an oral history interview with Simon Brooks, conducted on March 18, 2021, via Zoom Communications Platform, by Michael Thompson. Simon discusses his life, his storytelling career, and his experiences as a professional storyteller during the Weber State University Storytelling Festival. MT: This is an oral history interview with Simon Brooks about the Weber State University Storytelling Festival. My name is Michael Thompson, I'll be conducting the interview and it is being conducted via Zoom on March 18th, 2021. To start, how did you become interested or involved with storytelling? SB: The short answer of a somewhat long story is that I used to... I've always written. Ever since I was a kid, I've written stories. I ended up running youth hostels in the UK and so would practice my stories on these kids to see, you know, which bits need tightening up. And then a school group took me to see the storyteller in Battle. Which is where the Battle of Hastings took place. When I saw the storyteller, it just floored me completely. It was Eric Maddern. And he was telling historical stories, some of which were based in that place which was incredibly powerful as well. And from that moment on I realized that folk and fairytales are probably way better than anything I've ever written. So instead of torturing children with my stories, I decided to regale them with folk and fairytales and that's what I started to do. MT: Okay. 2 SB: I then, later became a stay-at-home dad. Somebody suggested at one of the small local town libraries that I become a children's librarian. For which I was not qualified for but apparently, they were so desperate that they hired me anyway. I took it on the provision that I could tell stories as a storyteller, not just read from the picture books and what not. The mommy circuit took my name to other libraries and the libraries started to call me and I thought, "Oh wow! Okay." And that's how I became [a storyteller], and that's how it turned big. MT: Okay. So how long have you been telling stories then? SB: About 28 years from when I was telling at the youth hostels to the school groups and family groups. And about, I think it's been about 15 or 16 professionally. MT: Okay. SB: Since I came over here and started doing it here. MT: A good long career. SB: It is a good long time. It is. MT: So what part of storytelling brings you the most joy or satisfaction? SB: There's two sections to it. The satisfaction part is doing the research into the story. You know, finding different variants and then looking into the cultures that the stories come from and finding out kind of foods, sometimes that the people might eat. So you can add little bits like that into the tale to, you know... because a lot of these stories when they are told, some of the, you know picture books and stuff, sometimes their culture is stripped from the story. And so what I try to do is make 3 sure that the culture is very much put back onto the story so that people know where it comes from. And tell the story with respect and authenticity so that's the satisfaction part. And the joy comes from at the end of a gig and you have people coming up and telling you that either they really enjoyed it and you can see it on their faces, and they are just beaming from ear to ear. Or they come up to you and they say something along the lines of, "You know, I really needed to hear this particular story tonight. Thank you so much." And then you know, sometimes they'll tell you why it meant so much to them and why it was important for them to hear. And that's just another level of like, "Wow". The power of stories is really something special. MT: Absolutely. Do you try to focus on specific culture's stories or do you try to keep a broad base of stories? SB: Most of my stories are European, because that's where I come from. But I also try to incorporate a lot of stories from all over the world. Because you go into a school, for example, and there'll be kids from all sorts of different cultures in that school, or heritages I should say, probably. And you know, to see a kid that's Chinese or Japanese and tell a Chinese and Japanese story, makes them feel more included. It's more inclusive for them and they don't feel left out, it's like, "Oh it's another story from Scandinavia or another story from England." And same with, you know, African American kids and you tell a story from Ghana or South Africa or Cambodia, or wherever, and they get all excited because they are being included in the story. So, I try to keep a broad base of stories for sure. MT: Okay. So in your opinion, what are the qualities of a good storyteller? 4 SB: A good storyteller needs to engage the audience and connect with the audience. I think they also need to bring a high level of authenticity to their craft. And not just rip off another storyteller or just rip out a story, you know, it needs to come from a place that resonates with you. And that's where you get the connection with the audience, because they can tell if you’re being authentic or not. And they will... you’ll engage in a much deeper level if you can do that, I think. MT: Okay, that makes sense. So what elements are required for a good story. You mentioned bringing culture back into the story, but are there other elements that you try to include? SB: Yeah, I mean, there's the whole beginning, middle, and end. And obviously, because if you don't have an end, then people are left hanging. But having a conflict and a resolution is also really good. One of the reasons that I tell folk and fairy tales, myths and legends is because certainly with the folk and fairytales the majority of them, the vast majority of them, they all offer hope. And there is always some sort of conflict or problem or problems or conflicts and they are always somehow resolved. So, there's also some sort of subversion going on, if you will. With the stories of the bad king and the bad queen or bad magician, and then there's the peasant boy or the farmer's girl or the youngest brother or the youngest sister who have to fight up through all of that other stuff to find themselves and become themselves and grow so that they can overcome the problem. Or at least, that's how I like to tell the stories. But you know, you go into a story book, and you find the bare bones of the story, and you know, sometimes when these stories are collected, you can tell when someone has told the bare bones of a story because there's no fluff to it, there's no meat to it. So those are the fun ones that you can actually 5 reconstruct and you can really put some meat and some fur and teeth and nails onto the story and really create something exciting and good for any kind of audience— not just for kids but for adults as well. And there's a lot of stories out there that are very much for adults, there are some really fun bawdy stories as well. MT: Do you prefer telling stories to children or adults or a mix? SB: The different audiences offer different responses. Obviously with adults you can go with a much deeper story. You can play with adults in a way that you can't play with children. And you can also play with children with the stories in a way that you can't necessarily play with adults. Right? There's a joy, a pure unadulterated joy that you see in children's faces right off the bat when you start to tell... when you catch the kids with a good story, when you draw them in. There's that utter joy that you see on their faces which is just phenomenal. And with the adult audiences, you know, adults have grown up and they kind of put a wall up sometimes, like this is... they want to hear folk and fairytale stories if they are there at the event, but they are also... there's some sort of cynicism there. MT: Okay. SB: And to break through that cynicism and to bring them back to their childhood. And pull out that joy that they remember from back then. You know, when there were no cares in the world, you know. When all you did was you wake up and you did stuff. And everything was done for you, you know, your clothes are at the end of your bed. Your breakfast was there waiting for you, you know, you go to school, you come home and you do your school work. And you go outside and play and you watch a little bit of TV. I mean, I'm talking about my generation really. And to go into 6 an adult audience that has become jaded overtime, and you know, has the worries of a mortgage or rent or putting food on the table and paying for all of those kids and folding the kids' clothes at the end of the bed, right? To return them to that place of utter joy is just, phenomenal. I think so anyway. MT: Sounds like a lot of fun. SB: It is. It’s remarkable. I love it. MT: That’s how I feel every time I watch Disney movies. SB: There you go. Yeah, right? And certainly with movies that you saw as a kid and then rewatching them as an adult, right? MT: Yeah. SB: Yeah and there's... you know, you appear to be a lot younger than I am, and I remember when I went to see the “Aristocats” and the “Love Bug” when it first came out and the “Jungle Book.” You know, I think “Jungle Book” I saw on a rerun, but you know, when I watch those movies now, I can still see... I remember where I saw them in the movie theater and I don't have too many memories like that. But I remember where I was sitting in the movie theater with my dad and my mum and it's just like, "Wow!" Amazing feeling. Totally get that. MT: I grew up with the 90's Disney movies and I can vividly remember when “Toy Story” first came out. SB: Right, and before that there was “Aladdin.” When “Aladdin” came out, the animated “Aladdin,” that was you know, those huge scenes that they would have, with that flying and everything. That was completely innovative at the particular point. And 7 then when “Toy Story” came out with the Pixar stuff, that was, you know, just taking it to a whole other level. You know, and then you have things like “Brave” where they created a computer program for the woman's for her... MT: Merida. SB: Merida! Yeah, with her hair because they wanted her hair to be really part of the story. And it's like, "Wow". So yeah, absolutely. MT: Do you think our current pandemic environment has had an impact on the importance of storytelling? SB: I think it has. I think it hasn't been seen fully yet. I think that there's... we've grown our audiences, I believe, because we've been able to grow across the world. Right? Not everybody has got people from all over the world [on their shows], but there are certain shows, there are certain concerts that have got an international following that they didn't have before. And I think in doing that, it opens up, you know, and also it's allowed Americans to see storytellers from India and storytellers from Britain and France and other places, and get a real insight into how storytelling is done in other countries, which I think is hugely important. But I think when the pandemic starts to ease off and we are able to get back together again in person, I think the opportunity that we have as storytellers, especially like folk and fairy tales, and myths and legends, is to bind our communities back together again in-person. And create that connection, that physical connection that we had and lost during... that we had before the pandemic and lost during the pandemic. MT: Okay. That makes sense. 8 SB: So, I think that you know when we are out and about, we can see a lot more people saying, "Yes! Let's do this! Let's sit down and listen to stories!" I think people are going to be ready for it, eager. At least I hope anyway. MT: So building on that, where do you see the future of storytelling? SB: I think it's going.... the traditional storytelling, which isn't very well known, I don't think... You know, there's a group of people that love traditional folk and fairytales, myths and legends storytelling. And then the next circle outside of that is your personal narrative, and that's hugely, more... it's much better well known because of things like the “Moth.” Which is broadcast on, you know, National Radio. And so I think that the folk and fairytales, myths and legends are going to start to expand a bit more and be [made] more aware in the general public’s mind. And I think that a lot of the concerts and shows that will be put out are probably going to not drop the virtual presence of streaming these shows—because they are going to see additional revenue coming from this. And so they want... they are going to try and expand, using that tool. And also, again, it's going to open up to a much wider audience and make it easier for people from all over the world to go to concerts and festivals that aren't in their country, or even in a country like India which is massive. Right? You go to a concert in India, you know, people can see from one side to the other and down south of India without having to spend a few days on a bus or in a car or flying there, right? MT: Now you mentioned in your email that this was your first... SB: It is. MT: Storytelling Festival. 9 SB: This is my first Weber State University Storytelling Festival that I've been in. And I was hugely disappointed that I was not able to get there in person. MT: How did you get introduced to the storytelling festival here at Weber? Had you heard of it before? SB: I had not, actually. No, I had not heard about it. I think that it is a local secret that you guys have in Utah. I think maybe the whole of Utah knows about it. But, I certainly didn't know about it, but I've had other storytellers get in touch with me saying, "What is this thing? What is this Weber State University Storytelling Festival?" And it's like, "Oh it's really fun." Having said that, I've recorded everything in my garage and sent it to you guys. It's been fun working with the people that I've worked with and it was the school that reached out to me, the University that reached out to me. And I said, "Yes. I'd love to." Hoping that I was going to go to Utah, because I love Utah. I love the people of Utah. I went to Timpanogos two years ago and you know, it was absolutely fabulous. I had such a great time and everyone is so nice. And I was like, "I want to come back." And so when you got in touch, I was like, "Absolutely I do. yes." And then the pandemic hit. So massive disappointment, but hopefully I'll be invited back again. MT: Yes, hopefully. SB: I hope so too, that would be nice. MT: So you mentioned that you recorded everything beforehand. So it wasn't live performance through zoom. SB: It wasn’t. So, it's just me in the garage, talking to the dog. Which she's a very good listener. She's a very good listener. 10 MT: Oh that’s good. SB: I just had to redo some parts when she stretched and rattled her chains or rattles her collar. MT: Well is there anything else that you want to share about storytelling that we might not have covered? SB: Not really. For those who haven't experienced storytelling in any form, I would suggest, highly recommend that you jump in with both feet and have a look at it. From personal narrative to folk and fairytales. And explore a wide range of storytellers because every storyteller has their own style and they bring something very different. They bring part of themselves to the story, so that really comes out in their work. There are people that go really deep with the stories on a level of mythos. There are some people who are incredibly spiritual and they bring that out in their stories. There are comedians who bring out a lot of joy and fun in their stories. There are some that tell with musical instruments, there are few tandem tellers out there. So if you see one and you think, "Oh that's not... I don't like that..." find some other storytellers and have a look because there is a storyteller out there for you. So go and find that storyteller. MT: Well thank you for your time. It's been a pleasure to speak with you and hear about your... SB: It’s nice speaking to you too. MT: And hopefully Weber will invite you back in the future and you can actually come to Utah. 11 SB: I’d love to do that. Well Michael thank you so much for your time and for asking me to do this. I really appreciate it. MT: Yes. Thank you. SB: Thank you, mate.