Staged Reading: Perseus

Osimiri Sprowal

What makes a hero? Who are the real monsters? How does a person become a god?

Perseus is a retelling of the myths of the famed Greek hero, told from the perspective of the three Black women who made him famous: Medusa, Cetus, and his wife, Princess Andromeda.

After her soul is re-allocated to a 'maximum security death' in the depths of Tartarus, famed monstress Medusa befriends Cetus, former sea monster and self-declared god. Together, with the help of Medusa's unburied remains, they work to help Princess Andromeda escape from her nemesis: the so-called hero Perseus.

This piece grapples with the way colourism, fetishization, fatphobia, and the prison industrial complex uniquely affect Black women, even in death. It explores the ways Black women find love and community with each other, across space and time.

This is a staged reading of a piece of new writing that you don't want to miss.

August 6, 4pm

Part of the Camden Fringe Festival

ABOUT

Osimiri Sprowal (they/them) is an African-American playwright and slam poet. They are an internationally award winning slam poet, and were 2022 recipient of the Marshall Scholarship. Through that scholarship they recently received their MA in Applied Theatre from The University of Warwick. This is their first time ever directing a play.

Adiba Sheikh, a mixed-media visual artist, brings their evocative style to this reading of Perseus through graphics, set design and marketing. Blending photography, painting, digital illustration, Adiba creates dreamlike yet unsettling visuals to evoke raw emotion. They are passionate about decolonising art practices and using it as a space to challenge conventional discussions of queerness, race, and politics through artistic expression. This commitment extends to their work in casting, reflecting the inclusive themes of Perseus.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Estimated running time

90 minutes

Performance times

4pm

Ticket prices

£10

Concession

Full-time students, those aged under 16, senior citizens, the unwaged, members of Equity and BECTU

Access

Theatro Technis is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is a Loop system fitted in the main auditorium. If you have any questions or specific requests, please email boxoffice@theatrotechnis.com.

Trigger Warnings: Death by beheading. Some physical violence. Mentions of sexual violence and domestic abuse. Themes of racism, sexism, and fatphoia.

Suitable for ages: 16 and over