The Leeds Guide

Five young strangers sit in front of us, telling stories from their lives and punctuating each tale with a homemade musical segue. Household lamps, a chest of drawers, miscellaneous armchairs and a couple of stools make up the homely set from which the members of Tip of the Tongue recount their bitter and sweet anecdotes. And that’s it. That’s If Walls Could Talk in its entirety. And it’s just great.

Tom Black kicks things off with a story which blends a lingering obsession with Thomas the Tank Engine with the difficulty of having to ‘share’ his birthday with 9/11; Alison Ford explains why, sometimes, trusting strangers in risky situations can be a rewarding endeavour; Emma Lawson is haunted by a tenacious, hideous pair of jeggings. Each story is simple and each storyteller has their own, naturalistic sparkle.

The production tackles the ridiculously-specific as well as the poignantly-universal. Louisa Beadel in particular manages to find a way to blend her dry-as-a-bone wit with a lovable vulnerability – gliding adroitly from a comic obsession with tomato ketchup to an ever-present struggle with an eating disorder. Will Barwick, too, has a familiar, schlubby quality which belies the frank tenderness at the heart of his borrowed memories of his grandparents’ fated union.

Throughout the play there are small interactions with the audience and we are frequently reminded that we’re an important part of this cosy collection of sincere accounts. Whether by passing round a saucer of custard creams or by inviting a guest storyteller from the audience onto the stage, this company understand their business.

The storytelling is careful yet manages moments of apparent revelation and spontaneity. The makeshift musical ensemble is charming, giving the production a real sense of harmony and balance. 


Tip of the Tongue are certainly a company to watch for the future.


Adam Z Robinson

And another guest storyteller...

The Company just before our final show in Edinburgh:

Guest Storytellers

26 shows in a row can, at times, feel somewhat tasking. If Walls Could Talk featured a different Guest Storyteller every day of the run (almost). We had a whole host of fantastic, remarkable, horrifying, anecdotal, spectacular, embarrassing, and heart-warming stories.

From having the blood of a Viking God; sibling rivalry reconsidered; confronting fears; messy birthday parties; making the first move; pheasant chaos; acting on impulse (and saving a life); "Dad's in charge"; wise words of war; fondest Fringe memories; to the life-changing decision a Mother and Father had to make...our fantastic storytellers gave us a unique show every single day, and we found ourselves as awe-struck and inspired as anyone else listening.

So, a huge thanks to each and every one of our wonderful Guest Storytellers:

Henry, Jamie, Tom, Jobi, Alec, Janet, Craig, Louise, Alexa, Clint, Lauren, Sam, Oli, Patrick, David, Stephen, Anna, Christine, Devauna, Pete, and last but certainly not least, Ekow.

For giving every audience a different show, and allowing us a glimpse of someone we either know, knew, or may never meet again.

Broadway Baby

Forget Walls, I Was Floored

The premise of If Walls Could Talk is deceptively simple. Five twenty-somethings sit around and each tell two real stories from their life, and a guest speaker is also invited from the audience to share a story from their own lives. As I said, deceptively simple.
   Astonishingly, this simple format provides for some of the best theatre I have not only seen at the Fringe, but some of the best theatre I have seen this year. It is heartfelt, passionate, funny and inspirational. The selection of stories the young cast have chosen to share are perfect (and some are particularly brave). They are punctuated with spurts of live music by the talented cast. If Walls Could Talk has a lovely home-made feel about it and by the time you leave, you feel like you've made five new friends. The actors laugh and cry with their friend's stories. The performance was completely devoid of pretension and the atmosphere was very relaxed.
   Usually this is the paragraph in which I point out flaws in the performance; but to criticise anything in this show would be pedantry of the highest order. The relaxed nature and direct relationship with the audience means that this show can be forgiven for faults other plays may be criticised for. The sheer power of the performer's storytelling is enough to outweigh any possible criticisms. I only give five-star reviews to shows that either keep me thinking for hours afterwards or affect me emotionally in some way. If Walls Could Talk did both - I laughed, I cried and I spent hours wondering how something so simple could be so powerful.
   I absolutely implore you to go and see this show at any cost, you will be as surprised as I to see how something so basic can be so impressive. It is a testament to the cast that just by telling stories for an hour without high dramatics they can produce something far more incredible and entertaining than a big-budget, over-rehearsed production.

Stephanie Bartlett

ThreeWeeks

Damp and dreary, the Edinburgh weather wasn’t putting many smiles on Festival-goers’ faces. So Tip Of The Tongue’s production of ‘If Walls Could Talk’ is just the happiness-boost to get people grinning. This bunch of student storytellers are far from damp and anything but dreary, and their short tales are heart-warming and personal without being overly gushy, quite a feat considering the range of issues covered, from ketchup stains on white trousers to watching a family member endure Parkinson’s Disease. Don’t expect the most visually astounding or hard-hitting of performances from this show, but do expect something completely charming. Definitely make the most of this sunny little Festival mini-gem.

Ciara Knowles