Hero & Leander
Or, I Love You, But Everything’s Under Water
By Jack Dean & Company
Sing, dance and cry with us in this bittersweet outdoor gig theatre show. Six multi-instrumentalists tell an epic seaside tale through songs encompassing folk, indie, sea shanties and choral music. A story of bad rulers, worse weather, and how we keep going when everything is flipping terrible.
Two towns, one rich and one poor, stand separated by a narrow strip of ocean. When the borders close and ships stop sailing between them, two lovers are left stranded on either side. Unphased, Leander takes to swimming across the channel to meet Hero, guided by the light of the lighthouse where she lives. But the jealous and vengeful Hephaestus, carrying an ancient grudge, plots to separate them with a flood like neither town has ever seen.
We all know this will probably end badly. But just maybe, this time, it will turn out different…
Written by Jack Dean.
Composed by Jack Dean & Company.
Directed by Christopher Harrisson.
Cello / Vocals / Percussion – Beatrice Newman
Violin / Vocals / Percussion – Yoon Ji Kim
Vocals / percussion – Siân Keen
Trumpet / Guitars / Vocals – Hanno Rigger
Guitars / Vocals / Percussion– Jack Dean
Accordion / Vocals / Percussion – Jay Kerry
Commissioned and supported by Unlimited, celebrating the work of disabled artists, with funding from Farnham Maltings and Arts Council England.
Image credit: Ben Borley