MAGICAL AND MYTHICAL STORYTELLING
Fringe debut for performance writer and storyteller
ACCLAIMED performer and storyteller, Xanthe Gresham Knight, cuts across the lines between storytelling and theatre as she debuts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with two shows.
Storytelling is an unique human skill shared between people, and is one of our oldest art forms. It brings words and the world to life, stimulates the imagination, and builds a sense of community between tellers and listeners.
“Speaks like a woman spitting jewels.” Phil Smith for Arts Council of England.
Morgana Le Fey and Paradise Bride, the final two instalments of her 8 Goddess Tales, bring a contemporary voice to ancient myths and tales, exploring themes from womens’ role in society to our relationship with the environment. Devised thanks to Arts Council Funding.
“A fine voice, pure and unforced Nick Hennessey’s fluid style and engaging presence is a winning combination.” THE TIMES
A two-hander by Xanthe Gresham Knight and musician and storyteller, Nick Hennessey, Morgana Le Fey is a new piece of story-telling theatre, exploring the myths and legends of the multi-tasking Morgana who features in the famous Arthurian tales.
Brought to life with music, games, and story-telling, often with humour uppermost, it places thoroughly modern Morgana centre stage at last.
From Merlin to Malory, Camelot to Excalibur, Morgana le Fey reigns supreme as fiendish counter queen to King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.
Playing by her own rules, she foils their… quests, dismantles the fragrant towers of each princess, and wreaks general havoc from the shadows.
Director, Juliet Forster, York Theatre Royal, believes the show is about the quest for love and finding the female voice.
“As sister, lover and foster mother to King Arthur, Morgana’s very human passions are rejected time and time again. As Queen, politician, working mother and sorceress, she tries to do it all and fails. Is she trying to do too much? It’s a perennial question.”
Nick Hennessey’s harp playing, luminous songs and theatrical defence of Camelot provide a feisty male voice that adds to the heart and humour of the show. “There has to be some redemption in the battle of the sexes,” he comments.
Paradise Bride, is the reworking of a previous story Her, commissioned by Glastonbury Festival for its Green Fields site in 2014 and is directed by Logan Murray.
To the Celts, Brigid was everything, Goddess of fire, healing and poetry. But where is she now? In search of Her, performance storyteller Xanthe Gresham Knight journeys through
the old tales… of Scotland, Ireland and much further afield, eventually channelling a 21st century Brigid.
Telling the story of online love, virtual reality and consumer addiction – by taking the identity of a mail order bride seeking a mate – Xanthe, performing as Brigid, smashes through a computer monitor.
Paradise Bride by juxtaposing modern technology with links to nature and myths of the land, asks us to consider our environment and love it more.
Xanthe adds, her message, “skyscrapers, newspapers and water vapours are all one. Paradise is now”.
And continues: “Whether you walk on the grass or on the pavement, loving the land starts with loving the stories it holds.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Website: www.xanthegresham.co.uk/goddesstales/html
View gallery: new.xanthegresham.co.uk/gallery/
Morgana Le Fey
Venue: Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 – 45 High Street
Edinburgh EH1 1SR
Tickets: £10.00 (concession £7.50) Dates: 20th – 31st August
Ages 12+
Time: 5.00pm (one hour)
Box Office: 0131 556 9579
www.tracscotland.org/scottishstorytellingcentre
Director: Juliet Forster, associate director York Theatre Royal, movement: Jude Bird
Devised and performed by Xanthe Gresham Knight and Nick Hennessey
Paradise Bride
Venue: The Little Kirk Community Project, Just the Tonic, 86 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh
Tickets: £5
Ages 12+ Dates: 19th – 30th August
Time: 12.05pm (one hour) Box Office: 0330 220 1212
Director: Logan Murray
www.edfringe.com Box Office: 0131 226 0000
For more information, images, interviews and press tickets contact:
Julie McSkimming Julie.mcskimming@mucklemedia.co.uk
0131 603 6074/07989 376 003.
MEDIA RELEASE issued by Muckle Media. You too can post your story ideas for journalists (aka press or media releases), on allmediascotland.com. Email here for more information.
Check out twitter.com/nonstopstories for your very own media releases feed…
Check out too twitter.com/allEdinburghPR and twitter.com/allTheatrePR.
To catch up on all the media releases recently posted on to allmediascotland.com, you need only click the link icon that you see towards the bottom right of our two media release ‘gateway boxes’.
It’s this icon, here. It’s your route straight into the rich archive.
—
Muckle Media contact details…
Contact: Julie McSkimming
Phone: 0131 603 6074
Email: julie.mcskimming@mucklemedia.co.uk
Website: http://www.xanthegresham.co.uk/goddesstales/html
