ABOUT THE SHOW:

Maenad is a monodrama/folk-punk musical/comedy act/storytelling show/that one time a drunk stranger overshared about their problems to you at a house party.

Punctuated with visceral folk-punk songs, Maenad explores sex, disorder, addiction, queerness, chaos and survival. Through a mismatched pantheon of personal gods and vices. It confronts you with the question, what myths are you made of?

Maenad has been performed at The Space Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre (as a part of the Camden Fringe Festival) and The Glitch Waterloo (for A Pinch of Vault 2024).

An audio adaptation is currently in development with the help of Richard Shannon at Goldsmiths University.

Written and Performed by Elena Sirett

Direction & Dramaturgy by Katie Overstall and Chloe Taylor

REVIEWS/AUDIENCE FEEDBACK

"Maenad is a bleak, brutal, and brilliant meditation (...) Sirett’s beautifully crafted poetry is sometimes slow and reflective. At other times the words spew out like an erupting volcano (...) The singing style is breathless, urgent, and full of fury. (...) 60 minutes of near-perfect fringe theatre."

-The Reviews Hub- 4.5/5 Stars

“Maenad is a raw and genuine piece of work [...] It is a defiant look at abuse and exploitation at the hands of men, at addiction and mental health and those who are victims of all these things but as a piece it does not feel self pitying [...] It has a steely optimism in the face of a difficult world.”

- Charlie Wood, writer/performer/artist (Miss Ellaneous)

“Maenad had me crying, laughing and feeling liberated by Elena’s fierce boldness and powerful vulnerability. It was raw, devastating, hilarious and invigorating.”

- Anna Papadimitriou, musician (HAWXX)