Merl Fluin | Performance Storyteller
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merlfluin.bsky.social
Merl Fluin | Performance Storyteller
@merlfluin.bsky.social
100 followers 150 following 110 posts
Vivid, dynamic, and live alive-o, telling stories that spark in the dark. Isle of Wight, UK. She/her
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merlfluin.bsky.social
Come and join the Island Storytellers for the Isle of Wight's monthly story club! A relaxed, friendly evening of traditional storytelling. Tell a tale yourself, or just sit and listen. All welcome.

Thursday 20 November, 7–9pm, Yelf's Hotel, Ryde

#LiveStorytelling #OralStorytelling #IsleOfWight
A lit hand-held sparkler against a dark background.
November 10, 2025 at 6:32 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Step in from the December cold and enjoy the fine tradition of ghost stories for the festive season. @hollyofthestories.bsky.social and I take you on a journey to the places where wraiths walk at night.

More info and booking: www.ticketsource.co.uk/storytelling

#IsleOfWight #LiveStorytelling
The Dead of Winter: Chilling Tales for the Festive Season Tuesday 16 December Better Days Cafe, Ventnor Cafe opens at 6.30pm for hot food, drink and cake Ghostly storytelling starts at 7.15pm Recommended age 16+ Book now: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/storytelling The image on the flier shows a painting of a Victorian parlour lit by an oil lamp, with a ghostly woman playing a piano in the foreground.
October 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Fancy something a bit different for Halloween? Join @hollyofthestories.bsky.social and me for an evening of tantalising terror at Babushka Books, #IsleOfWight. Very dark, very scary, and strictly for grown-ups.

There's only a handful of tickets left, so grab yours while you can. Info in AltText.
THE DIABOLICAL AND THE DAMNED Live storytelling for Halloween A hunted woman flees barefoot through the forest. A black cat drives a man to madness. A princess undergoes a dark transformation. Demonic spirits lurk by a moonlit road . . . Just pray they don't follow you home. Join storytellers Holly Medland and Merl Fluin for a night of spine-chilling tales in the atmospheric setting of Babushka Books, Shanklin, Isle of Wight. Thursday 30 October, doors open 7pm for a 7:30pm start Tickets £10 including snacks and drinks Advance booking essential: phone 07511220038 or 01983 652880 Suitable for age 16+ Background image: a detail from the painting Hell (1485) by Hans Memling, showing a winged and horned devil dancing amid roaring flames.
October 17, 2025 at 6:22 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
No, not the sun. Tonight's moon. #IsleOfWight
A big orange moon pouring light across a dark sea.
October 9, 2025 at 6:55 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
#FolkTales, #FairyTales, #legends, true tales, funny tales... if #storytelling is your brew, join Island Storytellers Story Club, Thu 16 Oct, 11am, Newport Library, #IsleOfWight

Tell a tale yourself, or just listen. Free entry. Broomstick optional

Get our newsletter: mailchi.mp/781efa6dcff3...
Three witches in silhouette against a parchment background.
October 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
A person went to Wales. A person came back. Apparently both persons were me. But only apparently.
A green landscape with a hill under a blue sky. A tree with a clock face carved into a stump on the trunk. A cup standing on a shelf beside an apple with a face drawn on it. A leaf.
October 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Heading off on retreat tomorrow. Will be away for two weeks. No email, phone or internet while I'm away, so I'll catch up with any messages etc. afterwards. The good news is I'll definitely have the world all sussed when I get back.
An image of the Tibetan Wheel of Life.
September 18, 2025 at 1:37 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Be careful what you put up your nose. Especially if it’s dust from a box you’ve just been handed by a wizard.

“The Stork Caliph” is a story I learned from a Gazan girl named Hala. I retold it for Tell A Child In Gaza’s Tale.

More info, video and links in Alt Text.

#FolkTales #OralStorytelling
Hala told "The Stork Caliph" at the World Storytelling Cafe via Zoom from her home in Gaza in 2020. It’s a wonderful story, and Hala told it brilliantly, adding her own details and embellishments to make it her own, as all great storytellers do. I recorded a video of myself retelling Hala’s story for the Tell A Child In Gaza’s Tale project. The project was started by David Heathfield and Haneen Khaled Jadallah. It’s still ongoing. You can get involved by watching and sharing the videos – or even better, by retelling a Gazan child’s story yourself. Watch Hala tell the story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHdvjjFykiA&list=PLj-mcWeMmSZw63V5abQ4fw3JIITI_S_kS&index=10 Watch a video of me retelling Hala’s story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj-eJVdgbAM&list=PLj-mcWeMmSZw63V5abQ4fw3JIITI_S_kS&index=13 Browse a full playlist of all the project videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj-mcWeMmSZw63V5abQ4fw3JIITI_S_kS Find out more about the project here: https://www.hltmag.co.uk/feb24/tell-a-child-in-gazas-tale (Picture shows a white woman wearing glasses and a headscarf, gesturing towards the camera)
September 16, 2025 at 10:30 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
#FolkTales, #FairyTales, #legends, true tales, funny tales... if #storytelling is your cup of tea, join Island Storytellers Story Club, Thu 18 Sep, 7pm, Ventnor Library, #IsleOfWight

Tell a tale of your own, or just sit and listen. Free entry

Sign up for our newsletter: mailchi.mp/781efa6dcff3...
Tenniel's famous illustration of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party
September 7, 2025 at 12:32 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Woke up this morning to the sound of angry wasps trapped inside a Morphy Richards hairdryer. Yes, it’s another August bank holiday weekend on the Isle of Wight.
A row of colourful motor scooters parked on a cobbled street. Public domain photo from Wikimedia Commons
August 22, 2025 at 12:26 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Storytelling fun at Chale Show on Saturday.

Photo and hat both courtesy of Sue Bailey.

#LiveStorytelling #IsleOfWight
A white woman in red clothes and hat crouches in front of an audience of adults and children inside a marquee.
August 4, 2025 at 12:43 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Hey, you! Stop your tyrannical ways!

Last night I told Tales That Topple Tyrants to a lovely warmhearted audience at #vfringe25.

Tales That Topple Tyrants will return in new formats and venues before too long. Watch this space!

#livestorytelling #folktales

Photo by @paulcowdell.bsky.social
A photo of a white woman with short hair and glasses, dressed in red, with one hand raised above her head and the other pointing at the camera.
July 28, 2025 at 1:28 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
👑 Feeling gloomy about the world? You need TALES THAT TOPPLE TYRANTS – a storytelling show about bad kings and how to defy them 👑

Sun 27 July, 6.15pm
The Bijou @ Fringe Village

More info & tickets: bit.ly/4jrPjTl

Proud to be part of Ventnor Fringe #vfringe25 #LiveStorytelling #IsleOfWight
A black and yellow show poster showing a fish dressed as a king, with the following info: Tales That Topple Tyrants Performance storyteller Merl Fluin weaves wonderful tales about bad kings and how to defy them Sunday 27 July, 6.15–7.15pm The Bijou @ Fringe Village, Ventnor Park General admission £12, under-25s £10, Culture/ Unlimited Pass 2 for 1 Book now: 01983 716767  bit.ly/4jrPjTl A white woman dressed in red, gesticulating on stage in a circus big top. A white woman dressed in red, gesticulating on stage in a circus big top. A poster showing colourful drawn images of two figures, one holding a microphone and the other playing a trumpet, against a pink background, with the following text: Ventnor Fringe, 18th-27th July 2025
July 16, 2025 at 4:34 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Had a delightful afternoon yesterday, joining a fab line-up for #LiveStorytelling as part of the Waterloo Festival. Tales of changelings and roses, cabbages and kings, gods and fools – and a lovely audience too

Photos courtesy of @paulcowdell.bsky.social and event host @londondreamtime.bsky.social
A white woman dressed in red, standing beneath a tree, speaking into a head mic. A group of women seated beneath a tree and smiling into the camera. A mixed audience seated beneath some trees.
July 13, 2025 at 1:20 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Step into the heart of Sherwood Forest with the legendary hero who stole from the rich, gave to the poor, and always had a trick up his sleeve!

THE DARING ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD
Wed 23 July, 7pm
Ventnor Library, #IsleOfWight
Book now: bit.ly/3SbmmPw

#vfringe25 #FolkTales #LiveStorytelling
An archer shooting an arrow in the air, in black silhouette against an orange background.
July 11, 2025 at 12:13 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Do you love a good story? Do you fancy trying something new? Treat yourself to some #LiveStorytelling at the Island Storytellers' Story Club. Bring a tale of your own to share, or just sit and listen. Free entry.

Thursday 17 July, 11 am – 1 pm
Lord Louis Library, Newport, #IsleOfWight PO30 1LL
A person wearing a carnival mask with wide eyes, shaggy hair and beared in tones of brown and russet.
July 10, 2025 at 1:31 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
This Saturday I'm making a wild dash up to London for some Secret Garden Storytelling! Bring a picnic, relax in the lovely garden, and enjoy a fab line-up hosted by @londondreamtime.bsky.social.

Find out more and grab your free tix: connectionwithwonder.com/events/secre...

#LiveStorytelling
A photo of colourful wildflowers, with a sunflower at the centre.
July 8, 2025 at 3:05 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Well, what a lovely evening that was! Telling tales “Under The Tree” with the Island Storytellers crew in Northwood Park yesterday, as part of the #IsleOfWight Biosphere Festival. Charming setting, charming audience, lots of fun.

#IWBiosphere #LiveStorytelling #FolkTales
A white woman standing under a large tree in front of a seated audience, holding a microphone, one hand outstretched. A side view of a white woman standing under a tree with a microphone in her hand.
July 5, 2025 at 6:47 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
The bookseller will see you now. Just one of many reasons to love Babushka Bookshop, #Shanklin, #IsleOfWight.
A desk inside a bookshop, surrounded by crowded bookshelves and piles of papers. A stuffed fox sits at the desk.
June 22, 2025 at 10:30 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
This is Malak. She’s in costume because she’s doing some storytelling via Zoom from her home in Gaza

I retold Malak's lovely story for Tell A Child In Gaza’s Tale, a project to amplify the children's voices. Watch here: tiny.cc/wvhn001

Info and links in AltText

#FolkTales #LiveStorytelling
The image shows Malak, a little Palestinian girl, dressed up as an old woman, with glasses and a walking stick, sitting against a white background. It’s a video still from the Zoom recording (shared here with permission). Malak was joining the session from her home in Gaza in 2021. Tell A Child In Gaza’s Tale is a project where storytellers retell the tales told by Malak and other Gazan children. It’s a way of amplifying the children’s voices and honouring their creativity and humanity. The project was started by David Heathfield and Haneen Khaled Jadallah. It’s still ongoing. You can get involved by watching and sharing the videos – or even better, by retelling a child’s story yourself. Watch Malak tell the story here (she starts about 30 minutes in): https://www.youtube.com/live/By6s8CmREXQ Browse a full playlist of all the project videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLj-mcWeMmSZw63V5abQ4fw3JIITI_S_kS Find out more about the project here: https://www.hltmag.co.uk/feb24/tell-a-child-in-gazas-tale
June 20, 2025 at 10:05 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Spent the afternoon recording a storytelling video. The finished video is 6 minutes long. The recording process took, um... longer. Maybe I should stick to what I know, i.e. bellowing analogue stories at people in a field. #OralStorytelling
A video still showing the head and shoulders of a white woman in a red top against a green background, with a tree ornament behind her. My so-called video studio, which was actually a very messy room cluttered with a floor lamp, cables, a laptop propped up on a box on top of a kitchen chair, and a whole load of other stuff that really wasn't helping.
June 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Looking forward to telling some tall tree tales and leafy lies at the #IsleofWight Biosphere Festival!

Join the Island Storytellers for an evening of #LiveStorytelling under the magnificent trees of Northwood House, Cowes.

Tickets £5
Book now: www.ticketsource.co.uk/theislandsto...

#iwbiosphere
An illustration showing a green and brown tree against a white background, with the following info above and beneath: An evening of traditional storytelling by the Island Storytellers UNDER THE TREE Friday 4 July Meet 7pm at Nortwood Park, St Mary's Road entrance Tickets £5 Book your ticket at: Ticketsource.co.uk/TheIslandStorytellers The image also has a white, purple and yellow Biosphere Festival logo in the bottom left corner.
June 11, 2025 at 10:21 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Come and join the Island Storytellers for our monthly #IsleOfWight story club! A relaxed, friendly evening of #TraditionalStorytelling. Tell a tale of your own, or sit and listen. Free admission.

Wed 18 June, 7–9pm, Freshwater Library, School Green Rd, PO40 9AW

#LiveStorytelling #OralStorytelling
A photo of a young white woman dressed as an elf, with magical sigils emanating from her fingertips in red and green light.
June 6, 2025 at 8:49 AM
merlfluin.bsky.social
A handful of snaps from #EastAnglianStorytellingFestival over the weekend. No pictures of storytellers in performance because I was too busy watching, listening and marvelling with my mouth open to remember to take photos. The whole festival was a dizzy whirl of delights.
#TraditionalStorytelling
The roof of a medieval barn, photographed from inside, showing beautiful wooden beams and struts festooned with fairy lights. A side of morris dancers in red and black outfits standing beneath a tree, with a more colourfully dressed figure in purple and yellow dancing in the foreground. A handwritten sign bearing the words "All Day Story Round", with an arrow pointing the way, propped up against the side of a wall.
June 3, 2025 at 5:42 PM
merlfluin.bsky.social
Train, boat, train, train, train, car. On my way to the #EastAnglianStorytellingFestival. Hide yourselves, there’s a guiro in my suitcase and I’m not afraid to use it.
A white woman with glasses and a shaved head standing on a railway platform with the sea behind her.
May 30, 2025 at 9:46 AM