Being a celebration of cunning men, cunning women, coney catching, and all manner of counterfeit craftiness.

A lone trickster wanders the road, from town to town, village to village and house to house, wearing many different disguises. Sometimes a priest, sometimes a potter, and sometimes a pedlar of wares. From pots to pardons, potions to pins, he sells them all occasionally, but always he gifts lies. His trade is deceit and he practices his craft upon the foolish, the greedy and the gullible.

“It’s a multi layered tapestry of the profane and philosophical.” – Maria Credali, storyteller, East Anglian Storytelling Festival. 2022

Bio:
Dave Tonge, otherwise know as the Yarnsmith of Norwich, is a jobbing teller of tales. An itinerant journeyman who performs at festivals, museums,heritage sites and schools, from Lindisfarne Holy Island in the north, to Arundel Castle in the south. He works regularly for English Heritage and national museums like the Ashmolean in Oxford. He has written three books,Tudor Folk Tales, Norfolk Folk tales for Children and Medieval Folk tales for Children. Dave specialises in telling period rich and often irreverent tales shared by the poorer folk long ago on heritage sites, but he is happy to ditch his costume in favour of a fine trilby hat and can be heard at storytelling events including Taffy Thomas’s Tales in Trust and Festival at the Edge.

Reviews
“The thing that really struck me is the immense energy and spirit that you put into the performance. I think that’s what gave it the wow factor! It’s so obvious that you love the stories and you love the audience response. How can you go wrong with it?” – Marion Leeper, Cambridge Storytelling Club

“The Yarnsmith of Norwich is every inch a mesmeric character, from the tip of his expressive finger-tips to the tilt of tall hat his stage persona grabs the audience’s attention. The stories themselves are irreverent and full of cunning, revel in life and are told with great flair and a real twinkle in the eye. He tells at times with an hypnotic quality, magically drawing you deeper into the tale.” – Settle Storytelling Festival

“We thoroughly enjoyed your Tudor Tales last Tuesday at Stafford Knot Storytelling session. We have been going to the monthly events in Stafford for over a year now and your storytelling skills stand out among many very good ones for more than the others you share the stories rather than just tell them. You are also prepared to take risks by asking your audience questions and having to improvise answers. An excellent evening. Thank you, again.” – Stafford Knott Storytelling Club

“Just back from enjoying a spellbinding evening with the legend that is Dave Tonge telling some silly, some sad medieval tales including the spectacular Sir Gawain and the Green Knight! A triumph of memory, mirth and marvellous mischievous story-weavage!” – Debra Creates at Oakham Castle

“Dave Tonge had children and adults alike gripped with his stories despite many distractions and wild weather. It was a delight to see that storytelling still holds huge appeal when done as well as this.” – Mary Riall, Ufton Court, Educational Trust