Maya Catherine Foster delivers a captivating storytelling performance using traditional folk stories and folk songs and adds twists and darker turns to these tales. “Who and what is sacrificed on a hero’s quest? While embarking on his epic journey, a Hero is ensnared and confronted by a Spirit” The hero can have many names in these tales yet they often tell the same tale.
Foster draws you in with her passion for the tales she grew up with, without necessarily understanding the meaning behind them and now turns a light onto how these stories play out for the women trapped inside the narrative.
Women are often treated cruelly and as objects or a possession to be bartered with in many of these tales. All in the name of “love” as they try to find their happy ever after. In most cases, women often have to sacrifice everything, sometimes including their lives, in the pursuit of what they are told they should want. Blindly going forward without being in a position to object or argue.
Foster highlights how the portrayal of women is often shrouded with mistreatment, and many times, they endure devastating levels of domestic violence. Simply following the outdated narrative that all women need a “hero.”
Lullabies and Love Stories isn’t about pitching the sexes against one another and asking women to be “anti-men” it’s putting a mirror up to these folk tales and songs and asking audiences to look at them with a new lense and decide for yourself how these innocent beautiful young women are truly portrayed and if you are lucky enough to have a daughter do you really want this to be her fate?
For more information about The Fireside Folktales Barnes Fringe Festival, please use the link below.
Four Stars.
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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