Eros & Psyche – Fairytales for Grown-ups at The Forge

ARTISTS: Sally Pomme Clayton
The Crick Crack Club

DATE: 13th May 2014
TIME: 7:30pm
LOCATION: The Forge, 3-7 Delancey Street, London, NW1 7NL NEAREST TUBE: Camden Town
DESCRIPTION: Socrates doubted it… Eros made sure of it… Aphrodite excelled at it… & Psyche thought about it all the time…

Merging myth, fairytale and raucous Greek philosophy – performance storyteller Sally Pomme Clayton undresses the myth of Eros and Psyche to ask ‘what is love… ?’
While Socrates and his friends have a drinking party and debate the purpose of love with sharp, incisive humour – in the Other World a power play of beauty and jealousy is underway between gods and humans. Aphrodite, the goddess of love expects to be worshipped, so when the beautiful mortal Psyche begins to attract too much attention, Eros is sent with a quiver full of arrows and ill-intent to seek revenge, but in a darkly comic twist he falls in love with her himself.
Combining Classical mythical romance with Plato’s Symposium, this raunchy, compelling performance of spoken word and sound, questions our ideas of beauty, suffering, and the choice to live.

‘She delights in subverting her audiences’ expectations…’ The Independent

TICKET PRICE: £10 (£8 concessions) (unsuitable for under 14s)
BOX OFFICE: www.forgevenue.org or cash on the door
DIRECT WEB-LINK: http://www.forgevenue.org/whats-on/?id=1M
CONTACT: Kate Norgate | | 07791 157 437 | www.crickcrackclub.com

EROS & PSYCHE, by Sally Pomme Clayton
13th May2014 7:30pm

CRICK CRACK CLUB PERFORMANCE STORYTELLING AT THE FORGE, CAMDEN

Socrates doubted it… Eros made sure of it… Aphrodite excelled at it… & Psyche thought about it all the time…

The Crick Crack Club believes in love – we’re basically all for it – even when it goes comedically and tragically wrong! After all, better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all. Socrates on the other hand, may take issue with our attitude…

On the 13th of May, performance storyteller – Sally Pomme Clayton – brings Eros & Psyche to the stage at the Forge, Camden. A mash-up of Greek myth, grown-up fairytale and raucous philosophy, this is a masterpiece of compelling storytelling; poetic, raunchy and darkly funny. Sally Pomme intertwines and juxtaposes a classical story with Plato’s Symposium – creating a vivid and enchanting triangle between a human, a god, and hoary old Socrates – each seeking their own understanding of what love might be.

‘She delights in subverting her audiences expectations…’ The Independent

The story of Eros (better known as Cupid) and Psyche, is widespread, whether as Classical myth, allegory or fairytale. Aphrodite expects to be worshipped when it comes to all things amorous, so when the beautiful (and merely human) Psyche begins to attract too much attention, she sends Eros with a quiver full of arrows and ill-intent to seek revenge, but in a comic twist he falls on his own arrow, and falls in love with her himself.

Whilst this power play between gods and humans unfolds, Socrates (according to Plato) is busily engaged in a drinking party – inviting each of his guests, however the worse for wear, to make a speech in praise of love.

Plato was a myth-maker, who dressed truth up as stories, and used fictional accounts of Socrates to convey his ideas. He clearly wasn’t a fan of affairs of the heart, as it was his assertion that the highest purpose of love is to become a philosopher…a lover of wisdom.

So on the 13th of May, in North London, we invite Aphrodite, Eros and Socrates to gather under one roof for a bit of a ruckus! This is a richly entrancing, engaging performance that manages to draw on some hefty mythological and philosophical substance with humour and a good dose of romance – a show for absolutely anyone who has ever loved, envied or doubted…

SALLY POMME CLAYTON is a writer and performance storyteller whose work combines poetic language, startling imagery and playful humour. She has performed across the UK, in 40 Winks Hotel; The Barbican; The Soho Theatre; Northern Stage; The National Theatre; Cheltenham Music Festival; Bristol Old Vic; and 11 Downing Street… She has been a featured artist in many European Storytelling Festivals and toured with The British Council to Spain, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Sweden and Portugal. Sally Pomme has published several books, collaborating regularly with illustrator Sophie Herxheimer. www.sallypommeclayton.com

‘… she awakens the imagination’ The Independent

THE CRICK CRACK CLUB is England’s premier promoter and programmer of performance storytelling. Founded in 1987 by Ben Haggarty, it has programmed work for, and in collaboration with, The Barbican, The South Bank Centre, The National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Northern Stage, Cheltenham Literature Festival, York Theatre Royal, The British Library, The Wellcome Trust, The Unicorn Theatre, and many, many others. The club programmes regular sell out performances at the Soho Theatre and Rich Mix in London; takes the alternative Christmas spirit by storm with its biennial Festival of Fairytales for Grown-ups at The Bargehouse; programmes annual seasons with numerous regional arts centres and theatres; tours work nationally; offers training, and mentors emerging artists. www.crickcrackclub.com

‘The UK’s most vivid and exciting Storytelling organisation’ Ian Macmillan, The Times 2008