@ Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Saturday 31 October 2015

As the audience enters the Netherbow Theatre in the Scottish Storytelling Centre we see writer and actor Philip Knight sat in a meditative pose on the stage. To his left is musician and guitarist Michael Gosling, who is in the act of creating the immersive and evocative soundscapes that set the tone of the experimental take on the Greek myth of Prometheus.

It is the final weekend of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2015 and the the theme of Stories Without Borders is apparent on stage during this afternoon’s performance. Prometheus is a titan in Greek Mythology and therefore has rather big shoes to fill. The backstory detailing the pact Prometheus makes with Zeus is delivered to the audience during a passionate monologue which makes way for Philip Knight to deliver a bright and explosive physical retelling of the story.

The interplay between physical theatre and music is what makes Stories Without Borders – Prometheus such a visual spectacle. Knight stalks around the stage as Gosling creates effects and riffs from his electric guitar. The music evokes the emotion and sets the pace, while the performer presents a poetic interpretation of the text. The language used is sharp, evocative and modernises the tale. Prometheus stole the fire from Mount Olympus and this action is portrayed with exhausting and powerful movements. The spoken word, physical theatre and the evocative music all make this take on Prometheus feel original and unpredictable. Where the story will go next is not obvious as the both musician and actor create a visual world where anything can happen.

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2015 has many engaging events from around the world. Stories Without Borders – Prometheus highlights the diversity and originality of the performances and unique stories on offer. It is a vital celebration of storytelling, theatre and spoken word.