Inspired by the Viking sagas of Erik the Red and his family, Vinland retells the incredible little-known historical tale of the Vikings last journey to North America, where they lived for a short time in the early 11th century, nearly 500 years before any other Europeans.
With the only evidence of this being in sagas, historians didn’t believe this to be true until the settlement described was dug up in Newfoundland just a few years ago. Using lyrical storytelling, animation and live music, the family show, suitable for ages 8+, brings the audience into a world where myth and history collide with ghosts, monsters and wild gooseberries. Jack Dean narrates the show playing multiple characters with different voices and performs an original score as well as live sound. The tour begins at artsdepot during Spring half term before dates in Cornwall and Devon.
Young audiences will set sail with Freydis and her son Snorri on a Viking adventure that’s fun for all the family. They will join her crew of explorers as they find out they’re not alone in this strange new land and follow Snorri as he confronts an ancient spirit set on revenge, while learning the truth about himself.
Jack Dean said, “What fascinated me about the Sagas was the way they blend historical events with things we would call fantastical. Battles and cattle trading are reported alongside demonic possessions, ghostly apparitions and giant sea-beasts. For the Vikings, all of these things were equally real. It is this world of unreliable narrators and mythical histories that we try and evoke with the storytelling, animation and music of the show.”
Jack Dean & Company is a non-profit organisation set up to help tell stories of how things could be. They collaborate with inspiring and exceptional artists to create new work across many artforms. Founded by Jack Dean in 2020, they are committed to offering people across the UK the chance to dream of a different world, whatever the current one may hold. Their podcast series, Fogland Lighthouse, shines a light on the obscure, overlooked and downright weird stories from British History, with words and music by Jack Dean. Sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, often a bit of both. It is available now on major platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts as well as their website. https://shows.acast.com/fogland-lighthouse/episodes
Jack Dean is a poet, playwright, performer, emcee and composer. His work tells stories that wander the lands between myth, memory and history. He has toured internationally, including at Latitude Festival, the South Bank Centre and the Bowery Poetry Club in New York. He is the creator of the Fake Town Fables and Infinite Hex podcasts. Previous touring shows include Grandad and the Machine, Nuketown, Horace and the Yeti and Hero & Leander.
Vinland is touring 18th February to 29th March 2022, including London’s artsdepot on 18th February. Full listings and ticket information can be found here.
