On stories and Orchids

[Sahand Sahebdivani]

Hi dear you,

How are you doing? I'd like to start your week with a little piece of trivia I encountered in an internet comic strip: There are orchid species which evolved their flower to resemble a type of bee or wasp, to attract specimens which try to mate with it. In flying from flower to flower they end up pollinating the orchids. There's one type of orchid which still mimics a type of bee, which has gone extinct. The only trace we have of the bee, is the flower of an orchid which does not get pollinated anymore. It has survived by self-pollination, a mechanism which will result in its own demise eventually.

What a painful metaphor for storytelling. We are in the business of telling things that don't exist anymore (people, a fleeting moment) and eventually with our disappearance, the memory of the memory also will be gone.

But at least while we are here we can make the stories count! So dish in:

Tuesday (Tomorrow) we have our weekly Tuesday storytelling event with this edition being the LGBTQ+ storytelling night! A night of fine tellers for you to enjoy! Doors 19.00, stories 20.00, donations welcome!

Thursday we have a magical music night on the Mez carpet with Hamraaz (Persian, for the person you share your secrets with). The musicians have invited as a special guest Zilan Hasret Yildiz on percussion. Just listen to these tunes and get your tickets.

In the Other Mezrab (De Wittenstraat 27) we have a Friday night storytelling open mic! Come enjoy the thrill of hearing stories told from the heart from people we have not curated, but allow to be! It's also a great moment to experience the intimacy of the Other Mezrab, in case you haven't done so! Doors 19.00, stories 20.00, donations welcome.

Now, on Saturday we have two events. One is the return of Raffi Feghali's one day workshop on improvised storytelling! It's a wonderful few hours to spend during the day. For details and tickets look here.

In the evening we have the return of the Alt Comedy Night. Probably the most daring night we have in relation to comedy, with artists letting go of words in absurd lown acts, bringing characters and props. Take a gamble and buy a ticket.

In the coming week of course we have a special storytelling Tuesday in the Mezrab and a Friday night in the Other Mezrab and many more things, but there's one special event I want you to also know:

The lovable and talented Sicilian and long time Mezrab friend Vincenzo is back in Amsterdam on Thursday May 22 to bring us a night of Sicilian music and food! Look here to listen to music, see what band members he is bringing and to grab your tickets. Be fast, they go like cupcakes, or whatever the Sicilian equivalent is.

That's it for now! See you at the events!

Sahand & Team

www.mezrab.nl

PS, curious about the comic about the orchid, here it is. 

PPS, We have a few slots left for our storytelling weekends. Check out www.mezrabstorytellingschool.nl