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Storyteller 'elated' after world record feat

Sammy Jenkins
BBC News, West of England
John Row John Row holding his Guiness World Record certificate for longest storytelling show. John has long white hair and a long white beard. He is wearing a black hat, a black jacket with gold details and a blue lanyard. He is also wearing glasses. He is looking at the camera and smiling. John Row
John Row was part of a group which broke the world record for longest storytelling show

A 78-year-old storyteller said he feels "phenomenal" after achieving a Guinness World Record for the longest continuous storytelling session.

John Row, who lives in Gloucester, made the attempt at Marrakech International Storytelling Festival alongside 100 other storytellers from 33 countries.

The group achieved 80 hours and 34 minutes of uninterrupted storytelling on 24 January at Jemaa El-Fnaa Square.

Reflecting on the success, Mr Row said: "It was a mixture of elation and relief because everybody put so much effort into this."

Mr Row, who is the artistic director and curator of the festival, said the team were at a gala dinner, hosted to mark the end of the festival, when the news of the achievement broke.

"It was a huge celebration and the Moroccans did this fantastic chant. It was phenomenal," he said.

Mr Row said the world record was rather "complicated", with a number of rules they had to adhere to - such as making sure they had at least 10 audience members at any one time.

"If someone had been on, it was four hours before the same person could go on again. The most you were allowed was a five-minute break and of course, we had to stop for calls of prayer, because we were doing it in public," he said.

'Resuscitation'

Mr Row said the festival began after building a "community" of storytellers online during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It [storytelling] was dying but I don't like to call it a revival, I think of it more as a resuscitation," he added.

John Row John Row. He has long white hair and a long white beard. He is wearing glasses and a black hat. He is looking at the camera and smiling with his mouth open slightly.John Row
Mr Row said achieving the record was "phenomenal"

Mr Row said Marrakech was chosen as the festival's location because it has a "1,000-year tradition of storytelling".

"The festival began as a mix between a festival and a gathering," he added.

He also highlighted the support the festival had received since its inception, including receiving a patronage from King Muḥammad VI and the tourist industry.

On how to tell a good story, Mr Row said: "Rabbit non-stop and listen continuously.

"You can't harm a story. My friends says - the only harm you can do to a story is not to tell it.

"Stories, there's no boundaries, it's an art without boundaries," he added.

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