Matlock Storytelling Cafe presents: Mara, told by Dominic Kelly

LIVE IN THE ROOM and ON THE ZOOM

Mara; told by Dominic Kelly

1868: Morten lives on his croft on the edge of Sweden’s ancient forests. His life is blighted by insomnia, and the troubles of his mind. Suddenly he begins to suffer nightmares and mysterious visits as he sleeps. He’s told it must be a Mara - a possessed person who visits another at night. To free himself, he must discover their identity. But who is it?

Funny, unsettling, immersive and moving, this storytelling performance is; a whodunnit, a dive into the dreamscape of Swedish folklore, a love story, a delve into our oldest forests, a playful look at our relationship with sleep, and what it means to be awake.

“Dominic Kelly conjures an entire world single-handed from an almost empty stage” Lancaster Guardian

Dominic performs MARA on a stage empty but for a traditional Swedish settle-bed. He slips between the world of the story and the world of the audience, and between Morten’s daytime and night-time lives. And as Morten enters each night into the world of dreams, the settle-bed itself turns out to have a little more life in it than at first appears.

Dominic Kelly’s warm, witty and powerful storytelling style has captivated audiences around the world, from India to the Arctic Circle. His UK venues include the Barbican, National Theatre, British Museum, and, of course, Matlock Storytelling Cafe.

Resident in the Lake District, he divides life between there and Sweden where he is a member of Stockholm-based company Fabula Storytelling; and teaches on Linköping University’s International Course in Storytelling. He knows intimately the landscape, nature, culture & folklore of northern Sweden; in MARA, he takes you on an unforgettable journey into this place, though experiences we can all relate to.

We will be live and in the room and also streaming via Zoom. We're loving our international reach and enjoy the 'shout outs' to our global audience. So, if you're willing and able, schmooze on down to the Imperial Rooms in Matlock and join us live. If you're elsewhere in the world or can't join us live for whatever reason then kick back, feet up and click on the link.

We are delighted to tell you that soup, cakes, teas coffees etc are available from our kitchen .  We do still operate with good old fashioned cash so bring your purse to cross our palms with silver. You are still most welcome to bring a bottle of something with you.

We urge you to book in advance as we cannot guarantee there will be tickets available on the door.

We at Matlock Storytelling Cafe are embracing our quest; to bring top quality performances to adult audiences.

Grab a ticket, turn off your phone and join us on a journey. Online ticket sales will close at 7pm on the night.
The doors opens at 7.00pm, stories and music  7.30-10

Tickets are £8 live and £6.50 for zoom