Troubled Waters Explores Our Relationships With Waterways

Storyteller reignites connection between people and waterways through performance

A new piece of spoken word theatre currently on tour, has a very Bristol heart to it.

Troubled Waters, by Corinne Harragin, is a show about sacred springs and waterways. It is a contemporary retelling of water myth, legend and folklore, exploring the ways people connect to waterways through storytelling.

Corinne has been working as a research associate at Bristol University on the project Storying The Avon. It’s been funded by the Brigstow Institute. The research has fed into the development of Corinne’s show.

Troubled Waters will ‘transport audiences’ into a world where ancient folklore intertwines with contemporary themes.

It’s a celebration of ‘female agency’ as well as queerness. It aims to ignite ‘new connections’ with the restoration of waterways and wetlands.

There are 4,000 miles of inland waterways in the UK, which face serious issues with pollution and river health.

“Rivers sustain the natural environment, wildlife and people in equal measure,” a spokesperson for Avon Wildlife Trust said.

“People have to feel part of something to feel motivated to care for it – Troubled Waters is an impressive production that will inspire people to re-establish their connection with our rivers, helping to protect them. As a trust, our mission is to see 1 in 4 people taking action for nature, and this production is a brilliant example of people taking action for nature.”

Corinne is an experienced storyteller who uses physicality and humour as well as the spoken word to bring alive performances.

She brings fresh questions to ancient stories, careful to recentre marginalised voices and ‘silenced histories’.

Troubled Waters: Contemporary retellings of ancient river legend, folklore & myth will be at The Wardrobe Theatre on 17 – 18 September 2025

For more information or to book, visit: https://thewardrobetheatre.com/shows/troubled-waters/

For more on Corinne Harragin: https://www.corinneharragin.co.uk/

Featured image: Hattie Ellis Photography

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