Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival: Susannah Oldfield - The Fire Bird

Susannah Oldfield - The Fire Bird

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Susanna Oldfield took to the main stage this afternoon (Saturday 26 October) at Rochdale and Literature Ideas Festival for a performance of The Fire Bird.

Susanna, who works as a story teller, scriptwriter, director and actress, has been performing the story since 2005.

The Fire Bird is a Russian tale that includes wicked brothers, greedy tsars, the Princess of Inexhaustible Loveliness, the evil sorcerer Kastchey, the Deathless, a flying wolf and a bird of flaming feathers. The story takes hero Ivan on a journey to rescue the princess from the evil sorcerers clutches.

Susanna, who also co- founded storytelling company Animation, said: "I often have to rework the story to suit the different events that I attend but it was one of the first stories that I began performing."

The story was told in a physical manner with Susanna acting out many aspects and using her comic timing to bring the tale to life. Also including the audience in her story, Susanna brought an old tale to a modern audience.

She added: "I loved my performance today. The audience were brilliant and the audience is often a big part of the story."

Susanna studied at the University of Birmingham and left with a joint honors degree in dance and English literature. Her background gives her storytelling fun and relevance by using an engaging style.

Susanna has spent time in Rochdale before today’s event and has held workshops at local libraries.

When asked what she thinks about Rochdale's first Literature Festival, she said: "It looks amazing. It is great to see so many different art forms coming together. You have everything from dance, to drama to storytelling and it's nice to see all of these things coming together for a variety of people."

Compere Norman Warwick added: "It is great to see this size audience attend this performance. It has been incredible to see the diversity that has gone on at Rochdale Central Library over the past few days."