Mythic Storytelling
Based in the UK and the USA, The Theatre of the Gentle Furies is a collective of artists, committed to telling old stories in new ways. Co-led by Christine Plastow and David Bullen as artistic directors, it draws on the myths of the past to offer new ways of seeing the present – hoping, in the process, to help bring about a better future. In Greek myth, Furies are terrifying earth spirit spirits who haunt those who’ve murdered their loved ones. To re-imagine the Furies’ rage as gentle is a paradox that shapes the collective’s work: ‘We dive into mythological stories with queer joy, deep fury and unapologetic resolve – crafting theatre where softness is the source of power’.
The Gentle Furies creates performances addressing misogyny, queerphobia, climate disaster and other contemporary ills, but approaches these problems with camp irreverence and a love of the ridiculous. Collective curiosity shapes everything the collective makes, with collaboration and community its heart.
A rock out at sea. Three birds with stories to tell. The tide is rising but they’re unflappable: they’ve come far, seen a lot, and they will have their say. Will we listen?
When i will be a bird is about humans, animals, the world we share, and the stories that help us imagine how we live alongside one another. In an era of ignoring science, this is truth-telling from the world of myth. In a time of panic and paralysis, this is a call for a calm and focus. In a moment when it seems we might never change, this is a reminder that we always have.