King Erysichthon

A powerful ruler believes he is above the law? A dark tale of hubris and nemesis.

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I had not told this story for more than a decade. But in spring 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this tale of a man believing himself above all recognised laws seemed appropriate for my Amnesty International benefit performance.

There are slightly different versions of this dark tale in a number of classical sources. Mine largely follows that given by Ovid in Metamorphoses.

More deep tales

The video gallery has become very extensive. So if you would enjoy more tales like this which explore the depths of the human psyche, here are a few suggestions.

 

Disclaimer

The video clips here are all amateur quality, shot in various theatres or, as here, in my home studio.

Their intention is just to show the range of my storytelling and give a flavour of a live performance.

Permission is granted for use in non-commercial educational contexts.

The videos are © Richard Martin.

Professionally recorded CDs and DVDs are available here.

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Permission to tell outlines my views on copyright

For those who are teachers: Telling stories in the classroom: basing language teaching on storytelling