New Age Gawain and the Green Knight

“…With an irreverent twist and totally contemporary sarcasm. This fast-paced story with strong messages about gender roles features everything from a bungee-jumping men’s conference interloper who offers an ancient challenge to new -age ideas, to a castle populated by three very different women each embodying a different temptation for Gawain.” – The Bulletin Storytelling Review

Price: $15.00 (includes shipping & handling). New Age Gawain is a fanciful modernization of the classic medieval tale ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’. As the adventure unfolds, Gawain’s quest takes him from the bosom of Arthur’s men’s group in the fabled halls of the Sheraton Tara to the Legendary Castle of the Green Knight. There he encounters a most unusual triple goddess. These three ladies try his patience and challenge his new age virtue!
Recorded live with Diane Edgecomb and Celtic harper Margot Chamberlain.
Adaptation by Diane Edgecomb, with original music by Tom Megan. Harp arrangements by Margot Chamberlain.

REVIEWS

Booklist: This parody of “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” takes place, not in Sir Arthur’s medieval castle, but at a twentieth-century men’s club meeting at the “Sheraton Tara.” Gawain, CEO Arthur’s yuppie nephew, is challenged by a bungee jumping Green Knight to embark on a quest, during which Gawain encounters three females who use their feminine wiles to test his virtue. Writer and performer Diane Edgecomb’s lively and expressive style is obviously appreciated by her live audience. Tom Megan and Margot Chamberlain provide a medieval flavor with their original musical accompaniment. While definitely offbeat, the humorous and entertaining parody is an amusing example of storytelling for adults.

Review: The Bulletin Storytelling Review: On this live recording, Edgecomb and musician accompanist Chamberlain tell an old Arthurian legend, “in which Iron Age men meet New Age agenda,” with an irreverent twist and totally contemporary sarcasm. This fast-paced story with strong messages about gender roles features everything from a bungee-jumping men’s conference interloper who offers an ancient challenge to new -age ideas, to a castle populated by three very different women each embodying a different temptation for Gawain. Expressive vocalization and dramatic use of voice and of music maintain listener’s interest throughout. This would be a solid addition to high-school English classes as an example of satire and reinterpretation of traditional literature as well as a good demonstration tape for a speech or drama club, because it exemplifies consistency in character voices and provides a fine example of dramatic interpretation. Adaptation by Diane Edgecomb; original music by Tom Megan and Margot Chamberlain.