Red-figured stamnos pottery showing the ship of Odysseus passing the Sirens. Odysseus is fastened against the bottom of the mast, his head thrown back, looking upwards towards the Sirens. The Sirens are represented as birds with woman's heads.

The Crick Crack Club presents

The Odyssey

Performance / 10 Dec 2023

14+

10 Dec 2023

14.30–16.40 
110 minutes, plus an interval

BP Lecture Theatre

  • £10
  • £8 (Members)
  • £8 (Concessions)

14+

Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

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Having been victorious in battle at Troy, Odysseus sets off home, but the journey takes an unfathomable 10 years...

A plaything of the gods, he is toyed with, tested, stripped of his hero's wealth and his cocksure bravado. So when he finally arrives home, even his wife doesn't recognise him.

Buffeted by the fates yet helped by the indomitable owl-eyed goddess Athene, Odysseus' epic voyage is the journey of us all – a coming of age, a rite of passage, an ego dissolved by mystery.

Surreal, comedic, poetic and profound, this is a compulsive, lucid performance by two of Britain's leading storytellers.

This event is presented in collaboration with the Crick Crack Club, the UK's boldest and busiest performance storytelling programmer and promoter, working with the finest spoken word storytellers, developing audiences, supporting artists and collaborating with venues and festivals across the UK.

Content warning: This performance contains descriptions of death, threat and violence, contextualised within a paradigm of mythic narrative, archetype and metaphor.

Booking information

  • Concessions include Disabled visitors, job seekers, seniors (60+) and students. The event is free for Disabled visitors' assistants (booking required).
  • Running time: 110 minutes, plus an interval.
  • These storytelling events are created with an adult audience in mind (age guidance 14+), under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.
  • Please allow time to go through a security check which includes a bag check upon entry to the Museum.
  • Doors will open at approximately 14.15 for the audience to take their seats.
  • Please note only bottled water is permitted in the theatre.
  • This event will be held at full capacity. In line with current government and NHS guidance, face masks are not mandatory but guests are welcome to wear them if they wish.

  • Master storytellers

    The Guardian

  • I saw banquets and voyages, battling heroes and ravening gods – all conjured out of thin air by a voice

    The Times

About the performers

Hugh Lupton is a master of poetic storytelling, with a distinctive style focusing on richly crafted use of the English language. An award-winning performer and writer, Lupton has collaborated widely with singers, musicians and other performers. In 2005, he won the Classical Association prize for 'the most significant contribution to the public understanding of the classics' with Daniel Morden. His first novel, based on the life of poet John Clare, was published in 2010 and his song One in a Million (co-written with Chris Wood) won the BBC 2 folk awards for 'Original Song of the Year' 2005.

 

Daniel Morden is one of the UK's most popular storytellers and member of the acclaimed Devil's Violin Company. For 23 years he has delighted audiences all over the world at storytelling festivals including those in Vancouver, Oslo and the Yukon. In London he has performed at venues from the Barbican and National Theatre to the British Museum. An award-winning storyteller, Morden has also worked on TV and radio and published books for both children and adults.