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March 12-14
Portsmouth, NH

A CELTIC EVENING features one of the nation’s most beloved storytellers, Diane Edgecomb, hailed by Publisher’s Weekly as "a storyteller in the grand tradition... virtuoso of the spoken word". She brings to life Ireland’s storytelling treasures from the humorous Legend of Knockgrafton to the hauntingly beautiful Deirdre of the Sorrows. The most famous of all Irish romances, Deirdre weaves together Druidic prophecies with a forbidden passion so profound it dares to defy the fates. The performance is set against a lush background of harp music: original and traditional melodies played by Margot Chamberlain on a variety of Celtic folk harps.

Deirdre of the Sorrows is Ireland’s most beloved romance; a haunting legend of love and betrayal set in the turbulent world of the pre-Christian Celts. An integral part of Irish mythology, Deirdre has been the subject of numerous adaptations including plays by Yeats and Synge. In 1899, Douglas Hyde called this legend the finest and best conceived...of any in the whole range of our literature. In 1905, Charles Squire said, Gaelic romance is summed up in the one word Deirdre. Set in a violent landscape of earthen fortresses and tribal conflicts, Deirdre is said to be based on true events that happened around 1000 BC. Called one of the three sorrows of storytelling by the Irish bards, it was one of three tragic tales that a shenachie (Celtic storyteller) must be able to relate. Over time many versions of this haunting tale have made their way into Celtic storytelling and literature. Most of the adaptations avoided the searing imagery and cultivated a tamer version that prettified the ending. There was only one source that kept the edge of the original - a visceral tension that hovered between sweetness and cruelty. This was The Tain or Cattle Raid- the oldest vernacular epic in Western literature. Diane Edgecomb’s version is based solidly on Thomas Kinsella's translation of The Tain. The presence of the druid, the divine rights of the high king, the harshness of the life and the taboos hidden in the geis (a sworn promise given) are drawn from this version and from Ms. Edgecomb’s extensive research into the life and world of the pre-Christian Celts.

Diane Edgecomb is an award-winning storyteller and recording artist with an extensive background in theatre, she adds depth to her spoken word performances with her skillful portrayal of colorful characters. Each spoken-word adaptation is carefully developed through research into extant versions of the tale and research into the times. Ms. Edgecomb has also worked on an international project to collect and document the stories and legends of the Kurdish people.

With over 25 years of varied theatre experience, Edgecomb has trained and performed in many performance disciplines. She has worked with some of Boston’s most innovative experimental theatre companies; Stage One Theatre Lab, and Double Edge Theatre. Her traditional theatre work has included such roles as Joan in St. Joan at Worcester Foothills Theatre; Nora in Plough in the Stars at Lyric Stage, Boston; and Susannah in Bedroom Farce at Tufts Arena Theatre for which she won a Year’s Best Performance Award from the Boston Herald.

Ms. Edgecomb has led workshops for students, teachers, storytellers, and theatre artists on her approach, inspired by the work of Zbigniew Cynkutis of the Polish Laboratory Theatre, to integrating voice-image-movement into a living whole.

Margot Chamberlain first played harp as part of the early music group Quadrivium, directed by Marleen Montgomery, where she also studied recorder, singing, and medieval bowed strings. Twelve years of piano as a young person gave a welcome background for writing and arranging tunes on the harp. Her repertoire includes original and medieval tunes as well as Celtic and traditional pieces. She has performed with mime Laura Sheppard, LiveOak, Mistral, theatre groups, and the Christmas Revels.

Diane Edgecomb and Margot Chamberlain combine rich story material with a carefully orchestrated underscoring of original and traditional music. They have been featured on National Public Radio as well as at theaters, coffeehouses, colleges, museums, and nature centers throughout the United States..

Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside will provide accommodations for Ms. Edgecomb and Ms. Chamberlain during their stay in Portsmouth. Performances are scheduled for Friday 12 March @8pm, Saturday 13 March @4pm & @8pm, and Sunday 14 March @2pm. Pontine’s West End Studio Theatre is located at 959 Islington Street, Portsmouth NH. Tickets are $23 ($3 discount for seniors & students) and may be purchased online.