Eden Ballantyne is an award-winning storyteller bringing a mix of family-friendly (and not so family-friendly) storytelling to Colchester Fringe. In “Zeus Shags Anything,” he shares a collection of Greek myths that don’t get told, or told in their fullest, mixed in with tit bits of other random information about the gods and ancient Greek history. We sent Fringe Review’s resident interviewer Dr.Pants to see if Zeus really does shag everything and if his standards are as low as Dr.Pant’s standards. You can catch the show during Colchester Fringe October 23-28.
NAP: Hello Eden, so we’ve talked all about your family shows. But now, let’s get to the ADULT stuff. What is your show about?
EB: Greek Myths and history, It’s similar to my other not for kids shows it’s a collection of stories with little tidbits of information facts and well not facts because they’re myths but little bits from myths that you might not know of some of the more unusual ones.
NAP: You’ve done many shows over the years about myths. What is it you like about traditional myths? Why do they make great storytelling?
EB: I love the fact that these stories are thousands of years old yet they’re still resonant today they often don’t make sense and yet somehow they’re very contradictory but this show was humans being human always.
NAP: What makes it unique to other storytelling shows at the fringe?
EB: The mix of stories and history. There aren’t actually that many of the shows at fringe this year that are about myths and legends and I think have a unique style mixing traditional stories with comedy or a comedic look at how silly some of them are.
NAP: How would you convince me to see your play if I was hesitant?
EB: Come and listen to a collection of old Greek myths that you weren’t told at school. Why be hesitant it’s a Fringe show what have you got to loose.
NAP: Why did you decide to perform at Colchester Fringe?
EB: It’s always a fun time with great audiences.
NAP: What has been the biggest challenge in performing your work?
EB: Finding time to write it while doing so many other shows. There are so many Greek myths and picking the ones that are popular but not famous so there’s a lot told in schools and there’s a lot of kids now and I was trying to avoid those and focus on the ones that people may be don’t but don’t know fully.
NAP: What are you hopeful audiences will leave your show feeling or doing?
EB: Laughing about how stupid gods are just like all people with too much power.
