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Access Rantanory Tales at the Rrrants Shop
Rrrants Collective, 2012
I am proud to admit to being a fan of Rrrants' work. The collective of
poets and performers spends much of their time providing a forum for writers who otherwise would not have any outlets for
self-expression, as well as presenting established writers' work. They are frequently to be found performing at the numerous
festivals that occur throughout the summer, all over the United Kingdom.
This collection of stories, part of a two-volume series available for purchase on
the Rrrants website (www.rrrants.com), takes us back to the days when BBC television regularly broadcast the series Jackanory, in which celebrities read
tales both ancient and modern direct to camera, broken up only by occasional illustrations. The Rantanory tales provide a
opportunity for performers to exercise their vocal powers; it is a testament to their abilities that the tales I heard held
me spellbound.
Two of them deserve mention (but that's not to say the others aren't equally good).
Both read by Paul Eccentric, "Making Up the Numbers," and "Never Change" are short tales focusing on aspirations, contrasted
with the daily grind of the protagonists' lives. I will not spoil potential listeners' fun by telling too much about the plots;
but suffice to say that both of them have satisfyingly unexpected denouements. Eccentric has a beguiling voice, that
has an ability to ascend to heroic flights of fancy, as his protagonists dream of what they could be. He also has the gift
of language, giving us an insight into his characters' state of mind through the use of multiple subordinate clauses.
The collections of Rantanory tales are highly recommended (and reasonably priced
as well) for download.
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