Story Slam
Our Story
Story Slam is a true storytelling event which started on March 19th 2014 when we hosted our first event in the basement of a Bristol café. The event was originally organised as a friend's birthday party, but it was such a success that we decided to make it a regular event. Since then the show has grown hugely, we’ve moved to a new venue, and over the course of 10 years we’ve hosted over 125 events and been lucky to welcome over 1,500 storytellers and 10,000 attendees and counting. The show has become a community staple in the city, and we have a large and loyal following. On Facebook our official page has over 1,900 followers and on Instagram we have over 600 followers.
“Bristol is known for its vibrant and diverse culture, but one of its most unique and cherished events is Story Slam”
What does our event look like?
Our live shows are normally held on the third Sunday of the month at the Wardrobe Theatre, a beautiful fringe theatre in the heart of Bristol. The space is decorated simply with a branded backdrop and storyteller tapestry, and two hats are placed on a table on stage. The show is participatory and all stories are told by volunteers from the audience. Anyone who would like to tell a story can simply turn up on the day and put their name in the hat for a chance to tell their story, or just come along and enjoy everyone else. Storytellers are welcomed onto the stage in a random order and have 5 minutes to share their story. Stories are then interspersed with commentary from our talented hosts who respond to each story with wit, care and compassion. We never arrange storytellers beforehand which makes each show a unique and unscripted surprise. This infinite variety paired with a consistent format is what makes the show so popular and rewatchable. When you arrive at a show you’re met by a friendly team who are eager to show you how the show works and give guidance on how to take part. Each of our shows welcomes stories on a particular theme, which we use to help prompt attendees to think of their own true stories. In the past we’ve had themes such as Animals, Passion, Curiosity, Late, Instant Regret, Forbidden Fruit, Risks, Milestones and many many more.
A central pillar of our show’s philosophy is that anyone can take part, and we want to hear stories from people and communities we otherwise wouldn’t hear from. In order to ensure this we make our show radically accessible. We have a few ways of doing this. We keep ticket prices cheap to ensure that finances are not a barrier to entry. We also offer cheaper concessionary tickets for those who need it. We also ensure that all our venues have step-free access to the seating and stage. Physical ability should not be a barrier to enjoying our show and sharing a story. We save dedicated easy access seating for those who find stairs difficult to navigate, and ensure everyone is aware of how to access the stage without using stairs. We also make sure all our signage is large and clear and we repeat the show’s format and rules at each show to ensure new attendees are aware of how the show works. For those people who may want to take part, but don’t feel confident enough to get on stage, we also have ways to anonymously take part. Each attendee is given a paper slip which they can use to submit anonymous stories for inclusion in the show.
Due to the nature of our show being based on people’s lives experiences the content can sometimes be distressing and tragic, as well as happy and inspiring. This is something we welcome on our stage, but in the interest of making our show as safe and accessible as possible, we have a system of content warnings in order to prepare the audience for potentially distressing stories. Storytellers are able to attach content warnings to their stories to warn the audience of any sensitive or distressing topics. Content warnings are read out before each story to give people a chance to leave the room or prepare themselves however they see fit.
In order to encourage underrepresented communities to attend our shows we frequently host special shows dedicated to hearing the stories of oppressed or minority communities. For example we have hosted many shows dedicated to hearing stories from the LGBT+ Community including in Feb 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022, with themes such as ‘Queer’,‘Identity’ and ‘Justice’. In March 2021 we co-hosted a show with Bristol Improv Theatre with the theme of ‘Celebrating Difficult Women’ for International Women's day. In Feb 2021 we co-hosted a show with Changes Bristol, a mental health charity who provides mental health support in the city, when we welcomed stories about mental health. During the Black Lives Matter Protests of 2020 we hosted a show especially welcoming stories on the theme of ‘oppression’
Lastly, we realise there will always be people who are unable to attend our shows due to physical, social or financial restraints that we can’t prepare for, so since 2016 we started to release our shows in the form of a free podcast. We record and edit the podcast ourselves and it is available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The podcast has enabled us to reach audiences far beyond Bristol, and we have been delighted to receive reviews from places as far flung as Canada and Australia. The podcast has a small but dedicated listenership, and we are excited to develop the podcast further in the future.
We are proud to have hosted shows interpreted into British Sign Language to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to enjoy our show and share stories. In Sep 2016 we welcomed BSL interpreters Liana Tree Lloyd and Kathryn Neal onto our stage who interpreted people’s spoken stories into British Sign Language as well as vocalising stories that were performed in BSL. It was an incredible show which helped forge bridges between communities that otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance to connect. We are planning a similar show in March 2025 which will be dedicated to hearing stories from the Deaf Disable and Neurodivergent (DDN) community, which will be BSL interpreted and hosted by DDN advocate and actor Keron Day.
An Event for Everyone
10 Years of Community
Over 10 years of events we’ve fostered the most incredible community, and since 2016 we have been taking group photos at our December events, as showcased below. Our group photos are a heart-warming reminder of our enduring popularity and community.
We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in 2024 and local newspapers ran articles toasting our success.
On the advent of our 10 year anniversary the Artistic Director and CEO of the Wardrobe Theatre Matthew Whittle wrote this about our show:
“Story Slam has consistently been one of The Wardrobe Theatre's most cherished and popular regular events for the past few years. The community that has been created around this wonderful monthly show is a sparkling reminder of the power of live communal events in the shaping of our culture and building strong social bonds.”
And the Theatre Manager and Artists Development Manager Aisha Ali at the Wardrobe Theatre had this to say:
“Story Slam has gone from strength to strength. It is clear that the Story Slam team, led by James Williams puts a lot of love and care into each event. They choose a theme, gently remind the audience that their 5min stories have to be their own, that they have a start, middle and end and that something has to happen that changes the protagonist forever.
They know people will be shy so whichever of the team are hosting will start off the storytelling. This usually relaxes the audience and inspires them to jump up and tell their stories. It's such a beautiful collection of tales from people of all walks of life and certainly an interesting window into their worlds.
The intimacy of the telling creates a lovely bond between the audience and it's apparent this space and community means a lot to those who attend, with lots of regulars who chat excitedly about the show.
To me, the definition of love is being seen and seeing others with acceptance and that's what Story Slam do. Happy 10th Birthday Story Slam - looking forward to many more!
Szandra Sinko - Regular Attendee
“I live in Bristol for over 8 years now and while this city has a lot to offer, Story Slam is in my top 3 things to do. I was introduced to this event around 2 years ago and I fell in love with it immediately. As English is my second language, sometimes I struggle with public speaking and I was fascinated by how many people enjoy sharing their stories and memories in front of a live audience. The atmosphere is cosy and encouraging, intimate and very welcoming to all. Even though I haven’t stood on their stage yet, I submitted a few anonymous stories of my own. I feel it’s a safe space to open up and I think that’s very rare these days. The hosts are lovely and hilarious, there are several regular storytellers whose stories I’m always looking forward to hearing. The staff goes above and beyond for the audience to ensure everyone can enjoy the show to the fullest. Due to my job I’m free on Sundays which means I haven’t missed a show since my first one, unless I was away. I buy my tickets well in advance because I want to make sure I’m there as they sell out quite often. I go by myself, I take mates and even dates with me, I talk about it with friends. Story Slam is very close to my heart and a big part of why I love living in Bristol.”
Emma Kitching - Regular Attendee & Storyteller
“I have been attending story slam for over 7 years and during that time it has become more than just an event - it is a space where I have made friends, come to understand the importance of community and had the privilege of sharing moments of delight, sadness, fear and gratitude through both listening to others stories, and telling my own.
There are not many events that foster an atmosphere that is so inclusive and welcoming that it enables people from all ages and backgrounds to share their vulnerabilities on stage with an audience of strangers, safe in the knowledge that the story they contribute will be received with the unconditional warmth and support that you would get from a dear friend - and yet without fail this is the space that the organisers of Story Slam provide and tenderly nurture month after month.
On a personal level Story Slam has become my lighthouse in Bristol, consistently acting as a source of light that brings comfort and guidance, illuminating all the wonderful things that come with living in Bristol, engaging in creativity and the arts and the joy of connecting with others.”
Kelsey Powell - Regular attendee and storyteller
“Story Slam fell into my life in 2018, the year I returned to Bristol after a two year stint in my hometown after graduating. I'd loved Bristol and couldn't wait to be back, but the sad feeling I'd been trying to outrun - a feeling that I ultimately didn't belong anywhere - had followed me down the M4.
I spent most of that year trying to dispel those feelings by dating: I'd swipe through the catalogue of eligible singles in my area, chat with someone over a drink for a few hours, face another rejection, rinse and repeat. I'd tell myself that it was worth the hopelessness of it all because at least I was getting some stories out of it, so when a Story Slam event with the theme of 'dating' was recommended to me on Facebook, I went. I reckoned it would be something to get me out of the house and would get me a bit of attention. I put my name in the hat and I told a story. I listened to other stories. I left without talking to anyone. I went back the next month, and for the last six years I've gone to every show that I can.
I didn't buy my second ticket because it was something to do, or to get attention. I returned, and still return, because it made me feel alive. It made me feel like I could belong. The room feels charged with a magical energy that transforms a crowd of strangers into a temporary family, where people are ready to listen to whatever you want to tell them and thank you for sharing when they see you in the interval. It made me realise that people do like listening to me, that there will always be someone who appreciates what I've got to say even when I think I've been weird and boring and ruined people's Sunday. I often feel very sad, very anxious, very scared, but I'll often push through for Story Slam because I know that I'm welcome as I am, however I am.
Story Slam helps ground me - it gives me something to look forward to, it gives me a space to share my joy and be sociable when I want to, or to be vulnerable when I need to. Whenever I feel that old feeling from 2018 flare up, the feeling that I don't belong anywhere, I can challenge it now because I know I belong at Story Slam.”
“The stories make you laugh, cry, inspired and astonished and the unpredictability of it makes it so exciting. The audience is warm, appreciative and encouraging. ”
“The community that has been created around this wonderful monthly show is a sparkling reminder of the power of live communal events...”
Our Impact & Testimonials
“... it’s a safe space to open up and I think that’s very rare these days”
“Story Slam has become my lighthouse in Bristol, consistently acting as a source of light that brings comfort and guidance, illuminating all the wonderful things that come with living in Bristol...”
“I returned, and still return, because it made me feel alive. It made me feel like I could belong. ”
“To me, the definition of love is being seen and seeing others with acceptance, and that’s what Story Slam does”
“My favourite way to spend a Sunday! So much fun and so many beautiful/hilarious/heart breaking stories. Thoroughly recommend!”