The Moth - 25 Years of Stories: The UK and Ireland

Episode Date: May 6, 2022

This week, we celebrate The Moth’s launch in the UK and Ireland with stories about an eventful vacation in Greece and a positive pregnancy test. This episode is hosted by Sara Barron. Host: Sara Barron Storytellers: Catherine Brophy Charlotte Mooney The story Sara Barron mentioned in the intro was Michael Such’s “Waiting To Go“: https://themoth.org/stories/waiting-to-go

Attention Houston! You have listened to our podcast and our radio hour, but did you know the Moth has live storytelling events at Wearhouse Live? The Moth has opened Mike's storytelling competitions called Story Slams that are open to anyone with a five-minute story to share on the night's theme. Upcoming themes include love hurts, stakes, clean, and pride. GoodLamoth.org forward slash Houston to experience a live show near you. That's the moth.org forward slash Houston. Hi everyone, producer Mark here. Just want to let you know that in the opening, our host mentions the existence of suicide and self-harm. If that makes you uncomfortable, maybe skip

the opening. We hope you enjoy the show. Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Sarah Barron, your host for this week. For 2022, we've been celebrating our 25th anniversary by going back through each year of the Moth's existence. This episode, we're at 2014, to mark the occasion we're going to play two stories for you, one from Dublin and one from London. Now, hosting them off in London is a really special experience. I've lived in the UK for almost a decade,

and in that time, I've learned this phrase that British people often use to describe Americans, and it's not an insult, but it's not quite a compliment either. The phrase is a bit much. So when I first started hosting over here, I felt this real pressure to dial down a certain amount of stereotypical American enthusiasm

and positivity. The British audience, if we're just gonna dip our toe in the water of a cultural stereotype for just a second, very generally, they're less openly emotional. So a swell of emotion from a British crowd be it uproarious applause or all those tears starting to flow, it's just way less of a thing here in the UK. But then there was this night. When I was hosting a grand slam at this venue called Union Chapel, it's this beautiful old church in North London that's been converted into a performance venue. And midway through the show, this guy gets up, named Michael Such.

He's lovely, unassuming, it's like a little bit nervous when he first gets up there, but then almost instantly he settles into himself. And goes on to tell the story that was it different turns frightening, impossibly funny, and in the end unbelievably moving. About being in his early 20s, unable to manage the pressure he was under, and deciding to end his own life. The attempt was unsuccessful, obviously, and I won't go into all the details now. You can find the story in the show notes for this episode, and on the moth.org-extras, and we'll link to it there.

For now, I just want to say, I heard this story and was in floods of tears, laughing through the tears, and I remember thinking, come on, British people, like surely this one is gonna get you guys to. If one is gonna do it, this is the one. And sure enough, I look expectantly but subtly around at the rest of the audience. And of course, they are all also in tears.

Finally, not just keepin' calm and carrying on or whatever stereotype we want to defer to you here, they've rather been carried away by the story that from every possible angle was too moving and funny to let them do otherwise. It was, in my humble opinion, very classic moth, the moth, as they'd say over here, at its bloody best. First up, we have Catherine Brofie. She told this at a moth open mic story slam in Dublin, where the theme of the night was home.

Here's Catherine, live at the moth. Mae'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gnd. Mae'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd ind i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i So, for an Irish person that is a miracle. So of course when you go to Greece you have to go to an island and off we went and we decided to go to Poros and the reason we chose Poros was because it was the cheapest fare. Now we weren't being cheap, we were just very poor. Mae'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio. Mae'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio' the island and we found the perfect place to camp. The land was sort of teared and there was this bit which is completely flat. It had a pine tree on it for shelter. There was a wall and then on the next level there was some sort of a norture or something and it was overlooking the sea and we thought this is it. So we set up our tent but it was so a'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r i'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r

gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r

gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio' gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r and about five women and they were all staring down the door, so we were staring up at them. And the old man started speaking to us in Greek, but it was all Greek to us of course. And then he offered us fresh figs. Now I had never eaten, I I never seen a fig in my life, never mind eating them. So that was terrific and fabulous.

And we thanked him very much. And we used the one word of Greek that we had, which was Cali Mera, and they all smiled. And I think they told we had more Greek than that, but any event. Then the man did something, he was signing and talking away to us. And the implication was he was going to go away and he was signing and talking away to us. And the implication was that he was going to go away

and he's going to come back. And we weren't sure what was going to come back with the police, where we trespassing on somebody's land. What exactly was going on? So we decided we'd tidy up our things and have them ready to move just in case. And about half an hour later, he returned. With one of those Greek bags, those kind of woven bags,

huge big one of those. And out of the bag, he took one of those Greek bags, those kind of woven bags, a huge big one of those. And out of the bag, he took one of those little blue gas stoves and a bottle of water and a little part and coffee. And he made us coffee. And it turned out that he spoke a little bit of German. I speak no German, but my two friends did. And he had worked in Germany for a bit for a while, and he told us that this tree, this pine tree, was his tree, and therefore we were his guests, and that's why he was bringing us coffee. So that was absolutely fabulous. But he came every single morning, every single morning.

We had to be sure to be dressed before he arrived. Because you really don't want to be putting on your knickers and your bra in front of an elderly, a great man making you coffee. And as the time went on, he asked us where we were from. And we told him we were from Ireland and he looked totally black. And we explained that, you know where Germany is? And then beside Germany, this Holland, yes, he knew that. And then there's the sea, yes, he knew that.

And then there's England. Oh, you're English. No, no, no, no, no. So there's England. And then after England, there's more sea. And there's another island. Oh, the island of man. you're English no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no so it was like we'd said we'd come from Tierna no but in an event the day before we were to leave, he told us that we were to be there at lunchtime, because he brought his wife, and his wife brought another big bag with another little cuckoo,

and she cooked stuffed tomatoes for us on this, and he gave us red-sino wine, which had been made with the resin from the tree that we were sleeping under. And the tomatoes were delicious. The wine was, well, there's a reason they call it, i'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweith So, the old man's name and his wife are my Greek family. And that pine tree is my home from home. That was Catherine Brofi. Catherine lives in Ireland and travels the world.

She's been rescued by a circus troupe in Serbia, had breakfast with a zambian chief, been kicked by a horse on the Mexican plane, and yes, she has a couple of tales to tell. Our next storyteller is Charlotte Mooney. She told this story at a moth story slam in London, where the theme of the night was tests. Here's Charlotte, live at the mosque. Cheers.

Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers. Hello. Four years ago, I was sitting on the edge of my bath in my bathroom holding a plastic pregnancy test, so babies, and waiting to see what was going to turn up in the window if I was going to get a line or a cross. a'r ymdyn ni'n gweithio. Mae'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio and sometimes you get a line in it's crushing, and crosses can pretty much go either way as well.

And in that moment, I actually didn't know how I was going to feel, and across appeared, and it was with huge relief that I realized I was happy, fucking scared, shitless, but underlying that happy. At the time, my partner was away, it was his baby, that's not the way the story's going, he's a circus performer and he was performing a piece of abstract dance in a tree in Wales.

And I thought rather than tell him on the phone, I was going up to see his show at the weekend, so I thought I'll wait for the weekend and I will tell him them. Mae'n gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaithio'r gwaith open it and sweep me up in his arms and cry tears and his manly beard. But the moment I crossed the seven bridge and got closer and closer, I started to feel unease. Partly because I realised my fantasies were quite disgustingly sentimental. Partly I was starting to question the wisdom of doing a big grand romantic gesture with an object that I had essentially urinated on. And partly because deep down, I didn't know how he was going to react.

I arrived late, he and the rest of the cast were already in the tree. So I put the pregnancy test in my pocket and sat at the bottom and started to watch the show. I was a little bit relieved to have a stay before I had to tell him. And the show was, it was a piece of abstract contemporary circus with birds mimicry. It was batshit crazy, but I actually really loved it and I was really proud of him. It was very long.

So the first hour was great. But like after hour two, hour three, hour four, we're in on. I just started to get increasingly nervous. So by the time he came down from the tree, I felt like a 13 year old girl about to ask someone to get off with them. He ran towards me and he did scoop me up in his arms.

And he said, I've really missed you. I've planned a whole afternoon for us. And I was like, okay. And the first thing, he and the other performers took me at the bottom of the oak tree, there was a spring. And if you followed the spring out of the town, it led to a wood. And then it turned into a stream. And then after about half an hour, that became waterfalls.

And after about an hour, it was a deep pool of clear water, reflecting black in the way only Welsh water can, but beautiful. And all the rest of them stripped their clothes off and started jumping in. And Alex said, you're going to love it, but I've got to warn you, it's shockingly cold. And I said, I think, fuck, is it alright to jump in shockingly cold water when you're pregnant? Like, I know you're not supposed to have a really hot bath. Is it like, is it an extremity of temperature thing? But I couldn't tell him that I didn't want to jump

in the shockingly cold water because I didn't want to tell him I was pregnant. They're in front of loads of other people. So I ended up taking off my clothes and jumping in for like the most short polite amount of time possible for a great life changing experience. And then jumping out and putting my clothes on again, then after that we had a six hour hike in the mountains.

And then we had a communal meal, and then there was a fire pit, and then singing, and then a presentation. So that by the time we were actually alone together, it was two o'clock in the morning. And I think what I actually did was something like this. I got your present. And he opened it.

And his face was completely blank. I felt like a physical stab of fear there. He said, I'm really sorry, but I don't know what it is. I said, it's a pregnancy test. And he said, what does the cross mean again? And I said, the cross means you're pregnant. And he let out a sort of strangled bird like whoop. I did an asymmetrical dance leap. Off the bed, none of which had been in my fantasies.

But at that moment, we're the absolutely perfect reaction. Thank you. That was Charlotte Mooney. Charlotte is a storyteller and circus artist based in London. She has told all sorts of stories and clubs, theaters, festivals, and around campfires across the UK, including folklore, myth, science, and history. She is also artistic director of Circus Company, Occam's Razor. That's all for this week. From all of us here at The Moth have a story-worthy week. Sarah Baron is one of the fastest-rising comedians of her generation. A powerhouse live act, says two stand-up hours, for

worse and enemies closer, have sold out at both the Edinburgh Festival and at multiple runs and London's Soho Theatre. She was nominated for Best New Commer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards, as well as receiving rave reviews from publications including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Evening Standard, and The Scotspin. As a writer, Sarah has published two essay collections, People Are Unappealing, and The Harmon Asking. Her writing

has also featured in Vanity Fair and on this American Life. This episode of The Moth Podcast was produced by Sarah Austin-Jones, Sarah Jane Johnson, and me, Mark Solinger. The rest of The Moths leadership team includes Catherine Burns, Sarah Haberman, Jennifer Hicksand, Meg Bulls, Kate Tellers, Jennifer Birmingham, Marina Klucche, Suzanne Rust, Brandon Grant, Inga Gluvaski, and Aldi Kaza. All Moth Stories are True, as remembered by their Storytellers. For more about our podcast, information on pitching your own story, and everything else, go to our website, themoth.org.

The Moth Podcast is presented by PRX, the Public Radio Exchange, helping make public radio more public at PRX.org.