New work 2025:
MAIDEN MOTHER MAGE
Heaven is a group project
Artwork: 'Maiden Mother Mage' © Frances Law
*BOOKING NOW OPEN for Culross performances* : Info & Booking on Eventbrite
Thurs 17th July (7pm), Fri 18th July (7pm), Sat 19th July (2pm & 7pm).
Both performances on Sat 19th have BSL interpretation by Lisa Li.
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Maiden Mother Mage is a new text and performance written and devised by Rebecca Sharp. Development work in 2024 and performances in 2025 have been supported by Creative Scotland.
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Performances will take place at Culross Abbey in Fife (17-19 July 2025) and at Glasgow Cathedral (Glasgow Cathedral Festival, 18 September 2025).
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The project features an original score composed and performed by Alex South; and original artwork by Frances Law. Costume by Jessica Brettle. The book of the text will be published by Matecznik Press.
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CAST:
Israela Efomi ('Maiden' / Thaney) Taylor Dyson ('Mother' / Teneu) Fletcher Mathers ('Mage' / Enoch) ​​
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MAIDEN MOTHER MAGE is a performance of three interweaving poetic monologues, with music: three versions of Thaney, later known as St Teneu / Tenew, or St Enoch.
Thaney was a 6th century CE Brittonic princess, daughter of Leudonis or King Lot at Traprain Law in the Kingdom of Gododdin (Lothian). She holds many stories, connecting her to pagan and Druidic roots, and to Arthurian legend - but never in her own words. Cherished by many, today she is venerated in the Christian faith as Saint Teneu or Thaney, Protector of the Abused; and as St Enoch of Glasgow, mother of St Mungo.
According to legend, Thaney was assaulted aged seventeen and, discovering she was pregnant, was thrown from Traprain Law as punishment, either by her father or upon his orders. She survived the fall to be punished a second time (some say was accused of witchcraft), placed in an oarless boat and set into the Firth of Forth at Aberlady Bay. She again survived to wash ashore at Culross in Fife, where she was taken in by St Serf, founder of an early church (later the site of Culross Abbey). There she had her son, Kentigern / Mungo, who would go on to found the city of Glasgow.
There have been varying accounts and claims to her story over time: Thaney enters myth, both human being and story-bearer. Fact grows indiscernible from fiction, and Thaney holds the space between.
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We wonder what role she would choose for herself now, as she rises during times of violence and abuses of power.
We meet her here in triple form: as MAIDEN (exiled girl of seventeen), MOTHER (of Mungo and other creations), and MAGE (shaman, abbess, Cailleach).
Giving voice to the outcast and voiceless, Thaney shows us how we might repair divisions that were cast upon us all so long ago.
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Project partners are Historic Environment Scotland and Glasgow Cathedral Festival; alongside Project Champions Fife Writes and the Centre for Poetic Innovation, community partners Fife Coast & Countryside Trust (for the Fife Pilgrim Way), and project patrons.
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*Satellite events*:
Thursday 1st May: Hosted by Fife Writes, RS will give an informal talk on creative project design and management. 6.30pm-8.30pm St John's Church, Cupar. Free to members of Fife Writes. Enquiries: fife.writes@gmail.com
Saturday 28th June: Platform Poetry (Tayport, Fife). 2-4pm. RS will read preview extracts from Maiden Mother Mage alongside other new work. Also reading, novelist Victoria MacKenzie. Info here.
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WORKSHOPS: Accompanying the project is a community workshop strand, supported by and delivered with Historic Environment Scotland. 'Thaney's Haven: stories of refuge and recovery' sees RS working with women's groups in East Lothian, Fife and Glasgow through the early part of 2025. Their work will explore issues of identity in transition over time and personal experience, and will be on display at both venues (Culross & Glasgow) during the performances of Maiden Mother Mage.
