SETTLE Stories staged its sixth festival at the weekend, with more than 50 events for people to enjoy.

It was more diverse than ever before, moving away from traditional storytelling to encompass more music and events that demonstrated the power of words.

Here Gill O'Donnell reviews some of the events:

Remembering Bill:

The Folly

IT was a fitting start to this year's festival that the very first event should be held in honour of a man who had been so involved with Settle Storytelling festival and so involved in telling the story of Settle itself: WR (Bill) Mitchell.

Over his life, he wrote more than 200 books, hundreds of articles, and delivered many talks on the history and physical and natural evolution of North Britain, with particular emphasis on The Yorkshire Dales, Lancashire and The Lake District. However, this session was less about the "great man" and more about "Bill" as seen by friends and family.

Through the reminiscences of festival director Sita Brand, friend and walking companion Bob Swallow and Bill's son David we learned of hidden facets of Bill's character and shared in personal memories: Bill the clumsy walker who was so busy making notes he forgot to look where he was going and fell over; Bill the earnest Dad bowling cricket balls awry and helping his daughter to make state props for Settle Amateur Operatic Society; and Bill the hoarder, who left behind a complete archive of material including every edition of the Dalesman since 1943.

He also left behind 63 volumes of personal diaries, which have proved an invaluable resource for the project recently undertaken by David and The Dalesman as, later this year, they will produce a book entitled Bill Mitchell's Yorkshire. This will re-tell the story of his life through his own words and feature a number of previously unpublished pieces.

The Terrible Tudors

Victoria Hall

DAVE Tonge, the Yarnsmith of Norwich, is every inch a mesmeric character, from the tip of his expressive finger-tips to the tilt of tall hat.

In addition to his considerable talents as a storyteller, he is also an accomplished historian and manages to skilfully combine his two great interests.

This is not the storytelling of the renowned Elizabethan playwrights - though they do get mentioned in passing - but the tales of the common people which originally began as jests and gossip told in alehouse yards and then embroidered and padded out to make comic yarns to be told by travelling traders.

In his capable hands these stories come alive today and are as relevant today as they were when they were first told. A real joy to listen to.

Jeff Thomas' Fair Tax Town

Friends Meeting House

WHEN the BBC approached him about his tax affairs, Jeff Thomas probably had no idea that it would lead him into the bizarre world of Amsterdam sandwiches, Double Irish and post office boxes.

Agreeing to work with the BBC, however, was clearly a life-changing decision as it not only opened his eyes to the way in which major corporations work but also the way in which governments seem to condone their actions.

Working on the premise that for many of the UK's biggest companies paying corporation tax appears to have become almost optional, the BBC approached a number of small towns which had mainly independent traders and businesses to see if it was possible to set up a way of developing a tax avoidance scheme similar to that used by large firms.

The town they chose was Crickhowell where Jeff Thomas runs a business. The resulting programme, The Town That Took On The Taxman, aired earlier this year and showed how by using extremely complicated - but completely legal - accounting techniques, large firms can run rings around HMRC.

Jeff is keen to explain that the programme's aim was never for Crickhowell to actually cheat on its tax, but to use this as a means to expose how this is done by 98 per cent of the FTSE 100 top businesses at huge cost to the national income.

Fascinating though the talk and discussion which followed were, the conclusion sadly is that there does not seem to be a political will to change the system and the only way in which to bring pressure to bear is by exposing the companies who indulge in such schemes.

In highlighting this current topic and allowing Jeff Thomas to tell his story, the festival has provided a platform to help to right a wrong and give people an opportunity to find their voice.

Alfie Moore's The Naked Stun

Victoria Hall

ONE of the hardest parts of being a stand-up comedian must surely be finding the material - this is clearly where Alfie Moore must rate as being luckier than most. A police sergeant in Scunthorpe with 18 years of experience, he has a wide range of experience on which to draw. It's a shame, therefore, that at times he tends to stoop to rather contrived jokes, but these odd deviations apart, this was an extremely funny performance.

He began well with a number of telling comparisons between Settle and Scunthorpe, particularly the difference in crime in the area as reported in local press. Much of the comedy relied on his excellent sense of timing, but underneath this there was a dark vein of sarcasm as he reflected on trends in policing which mean that, at times, there appears to be more emphasis on political correctness than actual action to protect the community.

It was without doubt a witty and intelligent performance.

Storytelling for change: Alia Alzougbi and Githanda Githae

Friends Meeting House

CAN a story change the world? This question kept echoing across the events of the weekend. In this discussion session the two participants explained how in their work they are using stories to change the world one mind at a time.

Alia Alzougbi works with the Global Learning Centre in London and uses stories as a way of getting young people to explore their own values and perception. She described how she felt it was important to tell the stories of the people who otherwise would go unheard by history.

Githanda Githae approaches the subject from a different angle but with equal passion. Working with Zamaleo ACT in Kenya, he aims to keep alive a pride in Kenyan heritage and stories in order to assist people to identify with their own culture.

This thought-provoking discussion provided an excellent base from which to explore the power of stories and the importance of storytelling.

Romance and Ragamuffins: Ursula Holden Gill

Victoria Hall

WHEN Ursula Holden Gill steps on to the stage your first impression is of a Victorian urchin with a somewhat impish twinkle in her eyes. However, you very swiftly realise that she is in fact a one-woman whirlwind.

There truly is something magical in the way she summons up so many clearly delineated characters at such breakneck speed, peppering her stories with hilarious descriptions and the most ingenious comparisons to flesh out her physical actions. Her physicality is itself quite stunning as she twists and cavorts about the stage as a batty old crone one moment and then the next is controlled and poised as an opera diva.

This was the premiere of an entirely new show looking at the themes of life and love against the odds, consequently it covered a vast emotional range and yet her performance held the audience enchanted from beginning to end. The show itself is very insightful and is performed in an incredibly high octane style by a lady of great charm.

Geoff Bird: Two Parts Mischief

Friends Meeting House

BILLED as one of the events for children, this actually turned out to be one of the most thought-provoking and powerful stories of the day and is certainly one which will remain with me for a very long time.

In Two Parts Mischief, Geoff Bird has created a very engaging central character who is "two parts mischief and one part firework". The story itself is incredibly simple but works an a variety of levels and it is this which gives it such power and resonance.

Stan is a happy boy who enjoys life and fits in until a cold wind comes along and changes his world. The story explores the impact this has on Stan and essentially is about how sometimes we have to know sadness before we know joy.

It was a very simple and profound tale, told with understated power and all the more memorable because of this.

Chopping Chillies: Clair Whitfield

Royal Oak

THERE are a lot of stories which begin once upon a time and then go on to tell about magical events in faraway lands. This one is different: it begins very mundanely with a man hitting a tree with a stick and goes on to tell about a very everyday sort of magic which happens in Camden High Street.

Moving effortlessly between two countries and two very different cultures Clair Whitfield performs her hour-long one woman show with great gusto and confidence. She deftly hopped from one character to another, summoning up Ajna Jan, the bereaved martial arts warrior, and Katie, the gap-year student who opens a cafe and the salsa dancing sultry temptress Camilla.

The unlikely friendship which develops between Ajna Jan and Katie forms the core of the show and it has to be said there are numerous examples of mouthwatering cuisine described as they discuss recipes.

There is a truly moving moment where she describes how Aina Jan floats candles on the muddy Thames in memory of his lost family where the poetry of the language adds to the poignancy of the actions. This is an undoubtedly moving story and beautifully told, but it is also a very accomplished piece of poetry and written with great skill and insight. A wonderful experience which deserved to be greeted with respectful silence before rapturous applause.

Arabian Nights: Alia Alzougbi

Royal Oak

ARABIC storyteller Alia Alzougbi presented a very modern take on the traditional theme of Arabian nights.

She actively researches stories from the Arab world and the Middle East to keep them alive and breathing, and develops them as a way of promoting cross-cultural understanding and ensuring that the voices of the ones who get forgotten in society are actually remembered.

In her version of the Arabian nights, there is no beautiful princess telling stories to keep herself alive, but a learned and wise woman who uses her wiles and words to survive as an activist in a difficult world.

Watching her perform it is very clear that she is not only a very accomplished actress but also that she has considerable skill when it comes to holding the attention of an audience.

Master Mythteller: Dr Martin Shaw

Victoria Hall

THERE should perhaps be a sign outside any event where Martin Shaw is participating which reads, "Forget anything you have ever learned about stories and storytelling." Witnessing Martin Shaw inhabit a story is quite unlike anything else you will have ever experienced.

His stories work on many levels and he is keen to explain that you don't claim a story, it claims you. His work is deeply engaging, so that you find yourself being lulled into the story in a way which he describes as being wrapped in the myth "like a swan feather cloak".

His mastery of language is such that his words do seem to cast a spell and then just a suddenly the bubble is punctured by the deliberate insertion of a incongruous phrase or an outrageously inappropriate accent.

Witty and learned, traditional and anarchist he is an unusual mixture who adds a real personal spice to the most familiar of tales.

Tales from the Dales: Ian Scott Massie

Gavagan Art Gallery

IAN Scott Massie is a poet, author, painter and musician who has drawn his inspiration from the local landscape and its mythology.

Collecting together legends, trivia, anecdotes and historic records about the area he has created the Tales from The Dales exhibition of pictures and its accompanying book.

The book tended to be the main focus for this session which in many respects was a great pity as it would have been interesting to hear from him some of the stories behind his paintings.

The stories, however, were fascinating as he clearly has gathered together a miscellany of information of all kinds. However they were little more than skeleton outlines, swiftly recounted and touched on rather than developed.

Down the Rabbit Hole: Sita Brand

Victoria Hall

WHEN Alice disappeared down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland, her sister Lorina was most vexed. She'd been entrusted to look after Alice and if anything went awry then it was very unlikely that Lorina would be allowed to go to the dance that evening. Which left Lorina with only one option, to go and find Alice and bring her back!

From this starting point Sita Brand weaves a magical story of an adventure every bit as surreal as Alice's own adventures. Nothing is quite as it seems as each character which she meets tells her a story and from each story she learns another lesson which will help her to find her sister.

The tales flow together well and there are some wonderful moments when Sita as Lorina squares up to her interrogators. It is this ability to skip neatly between the characters which adds to the credibility of the performance.

This was a wonderful premiere of an interesting piece.

2Magpies Theatre's The Litvinenko Project

The Falcon Manor

NINE years and 131 days ago, Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko, died in London as a result of drinking a fatally poisoned cup of tea. To date there has not been a definitive explanation as to who was responsible for his death.

There have, however, been a large number of theories and these were explored in this very cleverly written and staged two-hander. 2Magpies Theatre present their investigation into his death in the form of a tea-party, at which the audience drink green tea out of china cups and at times find themselves playing the characters in the story.

In a tightly choreographed piece of theatre the two performers, Matt Wilks and Tom Barnes, recreate the events of the day on which it is believed that Litvinenko ingested the poison: re-enacting his meals, dance class and meetings they examine the various possible suspects and opportunities for murder as well as giving some insights into the motivations which might lie behind his death.

Both Tom and Matt studied for an MA in International Security and Terrorism after completing their degrees in English and it was partly this that led them to be fascinated by the story of Litvinenko.

Towards the end of the piece a recording is played of the speech which Litvinenko dictated on his deathbed in which he accused Putin of ordering his death. The overall effect is chilling.