Stories
These stories are individual performances of 6-12 minutes.
Stories are suitable for live and digital acts. They can be combined with performances by other storytellers. They may also serve as an ‘appetizer’ for a main event of a non-artistic nature, like a group discussion, symposium, or educational project on a specific topic.
All stories have a general theme, that can be divided in subthemes, depending on the occasion. It is possible to tailor an existing story to a special event. It is also possible to order a story with a specific theme ‘upon request’ for a special event.
All stories – including the adaptations of existing fairy tales and known myths – are original and personal work, conceptualized and written by Pleun van Vliet.
Stories
ATLAS WITH BALLS
10-12min
Atlas With Balls is a mixture of personal story, classical myth, and anatomy lecture.
The Atlas vertebrae at the top of the spine literally helps us to keep our head up during collisions with life. It was named after the Ancient Greek astronomer Atlas, the Titan who was condemned to prevent the universe from collapsing by carrying the sky on his back in a place we now know as the Atlantic sea.
In this story, the interplay of physical and mental strength in balancing our personal cosmos is connected with Atlas’ myth.
Photograph by Cindy Bhaggoe
Themes: losing and gaining strength, freedom of mental and physical movement, powerful women
ELVIS
10-12min
Elvis is a true story about a trip to the Everglades, and the live encounter with a 700 pound alligator.
Despite the fact that alligators have a brain the size of a peanut and have never evolved, they have been on this earth for more than 40 million years. They’ll probably outlive us – the species with a 3 pound brain that adapts so quickly.
Considering evolution, what is a truly smart way to move?
Have a look at one of the very first performances of Elvis on Youtube.
Photograph by Marc Cowan
Themes: environmental issues, evolution, the wonder of nature, man’s place in nature, humor
JOKE
6-8min
Joke is a personal story about the life saving friendship between an old university teacher and her young assistant.
While the teacher is dying, she transfers her vitality to the newcomer, leaving the latter with a profound legacy.
Themes: friendship, life threatening disease, death, grief, love, coming of age
KASSANDRA
10-12min
Kassandra is an adaptation of the classical myth about the Trojan princess who could see the future.
As a child, Kassandra is extremely perceptive and curious, but the people around her do not want to bother with her questions. When she decides to become a priest, an abundance of knowledge opens up for her. But this wealth comes at a price: there are things about the world nobody ever wants to discover.
Photograph by the author
Themes: sexual violence towards women, women in religion, exceptional/smart women, the power of knowledge
MOTHER OF GOD
10-12min
Mother of God is a personal story.
When I was a child, my parents taught me that God was bad. I did not understand that; I thought it would be great to have an Eternal Friend, and they did not seem too happy without him.
When I was grown, my family-in-law pitied me for having no faith. They took God breathtakingly serious, but still He did not make them smile. I did not understand that, either.
Do you need God to be a happy kid or a good parent? Or is the best love still a human affair?
Photograph by Paulus van Vliet
Themes: hurtful & comforting aspects of religion, dogmatism, World War II, intergenerational trauma
THE WATER LILY
10-12min
The Water Lily is an adaptation of a modern fairy tale by Brian Patten.
In this story, a water lily becomes dissatisfied with his rooted existence in the most beautiful pond in the forest. Longing for change, he convinces the fish from the pond to cut his stem, and embarks on a journey that will change the movie of his life forever.
Photograph by Alborz Sahebdivani
Themes: living life to the fullest, actively creating your life, what kind of life do you want to live?
THE MESSENGERS
6-10min
The Messengers is an adaptation from an existing tale.
In this story, a young promising knight gets a second chance to life from Death. What happens when you suddenly have more time to live than you thought?
Photograph by the author
THE GIRAFFE THAT COULD SEE THE END OF THE WORLD
6-10min
The Giraffe That Could See the End of the World is an adaptation is of a modern fairy tale by Brian Patten.
In this story, the giraffe climbs onto the highest hill in the forest to see the end of the world. To his surprise, the end of the world is solely populated by giraffes. He is corrected by the sparrow, who flutters over the giraffe’s head. As far as the sparrow can see, the end of the world is full of sparrows!
Soon, all the animals in the forest climb into the giraffe to see for themselves what lives at the end of the world. It’s the shyest animal in the jungle – the caterpillar – who eventually needs to settle the fight.
Photograph by the author
Themes: self-importance, egocentricity, in- and outgroup processes, democracy, bravery
UNDERWATER
8-10min
Underwater is a fantasy tale.
An old man with windswept long hair and a haggard beard sits in a rocking chair, in front of the window facing a beach that stretches beyond the reach of the eye. His body is overwritten with faded tattoos; his face and chest are covered with salt.
He sings to hide the ominous quiet of something that’s missing: the breaking of the waves is no longer there; the sound of the sea is forever gone.
See the trailer of Underwater here or listen to the entire project created by Mythlab on the podcast of DISC Radio on Spotify.
Photograph: collage made by the author for the story
Themes: grief, loss, holding on to memories, letting go of memories
VAGINA ICE CREAM
8-10min
Vagina Ice Cream is a stand-up comedy set.
When your younger, hipper, and sexier hairdresser has no clue how you – an older woman – should ever get a date without digital aids, you know you’re screwed… Or, are you?
Unfortunately, we did not succeed in tracking down the source of this photograph. The original artist is welcome to contact us.
Themes: older women and sexuality, dating, younger versus older people on the dating market
THE RIDE TO HAPPINESS
8-10min, in the making
On February 2nd 2022 one of the most spectacular rollercoasters in Europe – the Ride to Happiness in Belgium – got stuck at its highest point.
What happens when you are trapped for 7 hours with 8 strangers on an increasingly cold winter’s night at 35 meters high?
The Ride to Happiness is a combination of fact & fiction.
Photograph: screenshot from the digital newspaper NU.nl about the event
TEA WITH THE QUEEN
8-10min, in the making
On July 1982, Queen Elizabeth woke up startled because an intruder had managed to enter her bedroom. His name was Michael Fagan. He was a big fan of the Queen. Upon his arrest, Fagan was committed to a psychiatric hospital. Up to this day, no one knows what he and the Queen discussed that night.
Since then, about 30% of the British reportedly dreamt at least once of having tea with the Queen. What would their conversations be about?
Tea With the Queen is a combination of fact & fiction.
Detail of a photograph by Tim Graham Picture Library/Getty Images
THE RATS IN THE WALLS
8-10min, in the making
The Rats in the Walls is an adaptation of the classical horror story by H.P. Lovecraft, with a hint of its famous predecessor: The Black Cat, by E.A. Poe.
A man descends into the cellars of his newly inherited estate Exham Priory. Each step downwards takes him further back in time, and gradually uncovers the evil roots of his cursed family line.
Photograph: collage made by the author for the story