Brigitte Scharinger-Brill

Brigitte Scharinger Brill is a storyteller with heart and soul

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago... It was lovely as a child to listen with rapt attention when mom read out the first lines. About Sleeping Beauty, who fell into a long sleep, about Snow White, who ended up with the seven dwarfs. Or of Hansel and Gretel, who defeated the witch. "Fairy tales are food for the soul," says Brigitte Scharinger Brill. "Because they are stories that give courage, that give hope."

All is well in the end

The Lüdinghausen native was an avid reader of fairy tales as a child. Grimm, Andersen and also the stories from 1001 Nights. "I literally devoured them back then. And I needed them," she says, "because fairy tales provide comfort in difficult times."

Why is that? Silly people become kings. People in need find happiness. The little ones can outdo the big ones. And above all: the fairytale hero himself finds the solution that leads to a happy ending. And if they haven't died, they are still alive today... "Fairy tales strengthen resilience, psychological resistance. This has been proven," explains Brigitte Scharinger Brill.

The seed was planted in her as a child. As an adult, she was then given a whole new approach to the world of fairy tales. "During a difficult time in my life, I rediscovered the stories for myself," she explains.

Training in the art of storytelling

Today, her passion for fairy tales is in full bloom; the 70-year-old has completed a storytelling course at the Raile Institute in Hanover. Since then, she has been "on fire" and inspires young and old as a storyteller. Her gestures, facial expressions and disguises make it clear: when you listen to her, you are immersed in another world. She learns all the stories by heart and speaks freely. Occasionally, she also brings along her kamishibai, the smallest theater in the world, in which she acts out the stories. "It's especially great for the children," she explains.

The Lüdinghausen native is particularly fond of Grimm's fairy tales. "But I tell stories from all over the world in my performances," says Scharinger-Brill. Her favorite fairy tale? The crystal ball, Sterntaler and Eselein. "Oh, the fairy tales are so beautiful," she enthuses.

"I used to read to my children all the time," says the grandmother of two. She couldn't speak freely back then. Grandson Niklas lives with his parents in America. As a result, the six-year-old doesn't get to listen to his grandma's stories very often. She went to the recording studio especially for him and recorded a CD. With great stories about Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin and the Town Musicians of Bremen. Nadine Wenge

Info: Brigitte Scharinger Brill has a repertoire for both adults and children. Her programs can be accompanied by music, which she coordinates with the organizers. Contact: ErzählArt, Brigitte Scharinger Brill, Anemonenweg 2, 59348 Lüdinghausen, Tel. 02591/7456, scharinger-brill@gmx.net