Troubled Waters: Contemporary retellings of ancient river legend, folklore & myth

Experienced storyteller Corinne Harragin is touring the UK with her brand new piece of spoken-word storytelling performance, based on her extensive research into lesser known folklore and mythology of rivers and springs. This show promises to transport audiences into a world where ancient folklore intertwines with contemporary themes, celebrating female agency and queerness whilst igniting new connections with waterway and wetland restoration.

With over 4,000 miles of polluted waterways, Britain and Ireland’s rivers are in ruin.

This vibrant new tapestry of transporting tales winds through stories that have shaped our relationship with rivers, the lifeblood of our landscape.

Leaping salmon, fishtail women, mythical raves & sacred springs… These enchanting and surprising tales present characters who question what is set in stone and find their own flow.

With each meandering stream and rushing river, we dip our toes into vital waters and ask what new connections are found when we look with fresh eyes beneath the surface?

Press Reviews:

‘Genuinely very funny’

‘A masterful storyteller’ - Backstage Bristol (link to full review)

Audience praise for Troubled Waters: 

“Delicious, captivating, funny, sexy, and brilliant!”

“Beautifully told tales – none of which I’d heard before”

“Mesmerising and sensual – the stories came to life”

“Corinne kept her audience captivated.” 

“Cheeky, moving, and well-paced”

“A beautiful journey that blends traditional storytelling with modern language”

“The weaving and patterning of stories was expertly done”

“Rivers sustain the natural environment, wildlife and people in equal measure. People have to feel part of something to feel motivated to care for it - Troubled Waters is an impressive production that will inspire people to re-establish their connection with our rivers, helping to protect them. As a trust, our mission is to see 1 in 4 people taking action for nature, and this production is a brilliant example of people taking action for nature”  - Avon Wildlife Trust

Touring UK as a storyteller for the last 10 years, Corinne uses physicality and humour to reanimate the written-down-ness of story with her own brand of oral performance. Finding pockets of enchanted forest within the hinterland of contemporary urban sprawl, she tells stories that recentre marginalised voices and silenced histories, bringing fresh questions to ancient myths and folk tales for adult audiences. Corinne is a regular guest performer for the touring ‘myth-off’ game show, Story Jam’s ‘Women Who Gave F*cks’.

As a research associate at the University of Bristol, her current project Storying the Avon (funded by the Brigstow Institute) explores connection to water through storytelling. She also designs and delivers storytelling and presentation skills training for the universities of Bristol and Gloucestershire. She has recently completed an MA at The University of Bristol, in which she researched contemporary forms of oral storytelling. 

30 October, Gregson Lancaster, 7.30pm 

https://gregson.co.uk/event/troubled-waters/

Show Website: https://www.corinneharragin.co.uk/troubled-waters