Well that’s World Book Day week over for another year! It really should be World Book Week because we storytellers are aye so busy that week!
Hey at least we get another shot of it for Scottish Book Week in November!
Anyway, I had a busy week with school visits to @aberchirderprimaryschool and Ellon Primary School as well as a celebration of World Book Day and International Women’s Day at GREC’s Language Cafe.
Of course i forgot to take photos! But here are some pics I did take – of a book I spotted in a P7 class which was a memory from my own childhood; the most delicious school denners of Fogie; and a couple of pieces of work from story and character workshops.
Tomorrow, I’ll hopefully report on a new project I’ve been working on!
I’ve got a couple of weeks for working on upcoming projects, working at GREC‘s Language Cafe and visiting some schools! So no public events coming up in the near future.
Instead, I’d like to share this amazing CV in Poem Form written for me by the wonderful Sheena Blackhall, fa’s praises I canna sing highly eneugh! Photie taen on the wiy tae last year’s Portsoy Haal!
Thanks Sheena!
The Pauline Cordiner Rap– A Scottish Storyteller
Hae ye heard o a quine fa’s tales can be scary? Wi a frien that has attitude, Fizzy the Fairy Up at Banff Castle, sic jinkies, her ploys Hae bubbly bairns fair kecklin wi joys
Princely puddocks, a gargoyle fas christened Marischal Her hoose is fair hotchin, wi broonies incredible Her hair it is reid as a Halloween flame An a coo, contermacious whyles jynes in a game
Her events are excitin, fun an educational Her traditional stories are verra inspirational She can sing ye auld ballads or a cornkister Wir you at Forvie fun day? Ye’ll be sorry ye missed her
Nature tales an folklore, tho the rain did doon pelt Aden’s Fantasy Festival , her Vikin Tales telt As an audience o littlins an drookit Alpacas Stude in the doonpish an shook their maraccas
At the Northern Frichts, dragons heezed bi the score At Tillydrone Librar there wir littlins galore Fizzy’s fun pairties, Rhynie wifies, a crone, The kelpie café aa cam intae her zone
Banchory St Ternan fair, Orkney’s Skara brae Saw history cam alive far the stormy clouds stray Castle Fraser, or rinnin adults’ ghaistie toors Storytellin is oorie at the witchin oors
Dobbie’s Busy Beasties, Yuletide special day Fur siller tae help fund a bairns’ charity She’s run broomstick trainin skweels, fur trainee witches An wizard hat craft – usin glue, glitter stitches
Her face peintin’s legend, wi speecial tattoos She’ll makk the dourest bairn shakk aff the blues She is fully insured, wi a PVG chitty Is a member of equity, sings a mean ditty
Here’s a roll call of some of her festival showing Cambridge and Glastonb’ry, reviews are glowing Stonehaven and Girvan, Belladrum Tartan Heart The Wizard performance, next, Science and Art
Spectra, Across The Grain, Banff’s bracin air Strathern, Aiberdeen, an Perth Prehistory Fair Glen Nevis, Portsoy, the Broch, Tarland as weel The Doric Film Festival, a wide appeal
BBC Radio Scotland, an Radio fower SHMU, Banchory Museum, the Maritime Tower Aden , Drum, Crathes, an Fraser’s stoot waas She cams intae her ain in historal haas
Muir of Dinnet , Arbuthnott , Duff Hoose, Peterheid Turriff, Macduff, Duthie Park, jewels indeed An the skweels! Tullos, Scotstown, Arduthie, Kaimhill Robert Gordons, St Margarets, Banchory Hill
Skene Square an Auld Machar, Lairhillock, Meethill Ferryhill Primary, Bracoden, Newtonhill Ontae Projecks an ither community wirks Pitscurry, an Mastrick, the quine niver shirks
Maryfield West Care Hame, Albyn Rainbows North East Sensory Services, her talent shows Persley Castle, the Phoenix Club, Inchgarth -nae lack Future Choices, an Hilton, they aa wint her back
Dyce Caravans, Inchgarth, an Roxburgh Hoose The Garioch, Inchmarlo, she’s couthie an douce Portlethen, Kinellar, an Northfield’s rainbows Pauline an Fizzy spreid joy wi their prose
Syne there’s Grand Circle Tours, tag team tales an the jyle The World Storytelling Café, her stories beguile Musica Workshops, Elphinstane’s Institute Her sessions are thrillin’s a Cadona’s shute
Peacock Visual Arts, an the Bairns’ hospital Hogmanay at Stonehaven, this quine musical Wi her puppets an sangs she’s performed tae the best The Seven Incorporated Trades , wi sic zest!
Shell Uk, Charles Michies, Diageo, Drummuir Hidden Aiberdeen; she is a whizz at a tour James Hutton Institute, Scottish Kids Show Standard Life, an the Stompers, she’s rarin tae go
Aiberdeenshire Geocaching …noo there is a thing She’s a haun on the pulse , fit the future micht bring Sae dinna be blate…ye maun rin oot an book her As fairyfowk gae, Pauline Cordiner’s a looker!
I had a couple of wonderful audiences for my sessions – I told stories about snakes – as it’s now the year of the snake and various monsters of the sea. The storytelling took place in the Duncan Rice Library at Aberdeen University who currently have an exhibition called Imagined Norths – all the weird and wonderful beasts that our medieval ancestors imagined lived in the seas and lands to the north!
It has been some time since I last posted properly! December and January have been full of staying inside, keeping warm and research, research, research!
I’ve not just been researching new stories, but have been working on a couple of projects – both of which I’ll post about soon. But in the meantime, here’s what I’ve got coming up!
Activities will be split across the Elphinstone Hall (Chinese calligraphy, dress up, face painting), Zoology Museum (museum open and visit from the Critter Keeper) and The Duncan Rice Library where I’ll be telling stories and you can also visit the Imagined Norths exhibition. I’ll be telling stories from 11.30am to 12.30pm and again from 1.30 to 2.30pm.
I’ve been brushing up on all my favourite sea monsters – Jormungandr, The Mester Stoorwurm, Cetus and the sea serpent that attacked my g-g-grandfather in 1892! So come along for some tales of Myths, Monsters and the Year of the Snake.
From Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th February I’ll be telling stories at Spectra light festival once again with my pal Lindsey Gibb. The theme this year is “Journeys” so we have some amazing stories planned. We’ll be in the Cowdray Hall from 6 to 10pm each night with stories starting at 6, 6.30, 7, 7.30, 8, 8.30, 9 and 9.30pm. Come join us! Entry will be on the corner of Schoolhill and Blackfriars Street or if you have an accessibility wristband, I expect entry will be the same as last yar – through the Art Gallery. TBC.
After Spectra, my next public event will be at Portlethen Library on Saturday 15th February – this will be a family storytelling session targeted at children aged 5-8 years on the theme of Space! Moons, Suns, Stars and all sorts of celestial tales for all the family!
Further to my last post, here’s a photo and a sketch by fellow storytelling Anne Pitcher who came along to hear the stories at St Cyrus. Elsie the Fishwife is particularly delighted at being immortalised in ink! 🙂
A couple of photos from my visit to St Cyrus National Nature Reserve last Sunday! Elsie the Fishwife and I met some braw fowk and told some local tales, fisherfolk stories and stories about the local wildlife.
…. And I’ll be back at St Cyrus National Nature Reserve on Sunday 27th October for a couple of Halloween sessions – one for the kids, and one Adults Only with stories unsuitable for under 16s.
A wee photo from last year’s Aden Music Festival where I was chuffed to be telling stories in the Aberdeenshire Farming Museum – right next to photos of my family! There were also Bothy Balladeers, Poets and Pipers in the farming museum as well as a great line up in the museum’s theatre and of course the main stage.
Well it’s all happening again on Saturday 14th September so I’m looking forward to be bringing some new tales to the museum, and Wee Imp is looking forward to joining me for the bands 🙂
Oh fit a lovely time Fizzy the Fairy and I had yesterday at Banff Castle – Banffshire!! Such a lovely audience of giggling grown ups, bubbly bairns and totty-wee toddlers who joined in with stories of daft loons, funny fairies and princely puddocks!
Banff Castle is delighted to host a special afternoon of traditional family storytelling on Sunday 1 st September 2024, featuring the popular storyteller Pauline Cordiner.
This magical event will offer two sessions at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm, promising to delight audiences of all ages with a rich array of Scottish tales.
Pauline Cordiner shared her excitement about the event, saying, “I’m going to be telling tales of frustrating Fairies, Lucky Loons and Contermacious Coos!”
Known for bringing a wide variety of stories to life, Pauline’s storytelling repertoire includes traditional Scottish folklore, fairy tales, creation myths and her own original works. Her performances are further enriched by her passion for science, history and the environment, making them not only entertaining but also educational.
A celebrated storyteller with deep roots in the fishing and farming traditions of the North East of Scotland, Pauline is known for her engaging and interactive style. She often incorporates
traditional Scots songs and bothy ballads into her performances, using music, puppets and costumes to create a dynamic storytelling experience that encourages audience participation and leaves a lasting impression. A spokesperson for Banff Castle remarked, It’s going to be a wonderful interactive experience and we positively encourage our audience to come along dressed as their favourite fairy, wizard, or witch.”
Event Details:
Date: Sunday, 1st September 2024
Time: Sessions at 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Location: Banff Castle, Banff, Scotland
Tickets for this family-friendly event are on sale now and can be purchased here:
Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in the magic of traditional Scottish storytelling at Banff Castle. For media inquiries, please contact: info@banffcastle.com
About Banff Castle: Banff Castle is a historic venue located in the heart of Banff, Scotland. It hosts a variety of cultural and community events throughout the year, offering a unique setting that blends history with contemporary activities.
About Pauline Cordiner: Pauline Cordiner is a storyteller with over two decades of experience, known for her engaging and interactive performances that draw from the rich storytelling traditions
of the North East of Scotland. She is passionate about sharing tales that entertain, educate, and connect with audiences of all ages.
Pauline Cordiner - Scottish Storyteller 