Cirrus@Austlit

'An unflinching theatrical descent into a dark underworld of heroes, gods and monsters.

'The myth of the hero towers over western history, but what festers within that image of man?

'The twelve labours of Hercules are legendary, and reveal a man trying to prove himself more than mortal. His impossible projects tear the natural world apart and plunder the animal kingdom for all it’s worth, all the while erecting an ideal of masculinity that continues to this day. Meanwhile, the lesser-known story of his violent murder of his wife and children is all but forgotten.

'Hercules is a powerful and challenging new work from the acclaimed Daniel Schlusser Ensemble that drops a mineshaft deep into the bedrock of the Greek myths, hauling into the sun a foundational story of violence, infanticide, divinity and madness.

'Performed by a trio of fearless female performers, drawing on Euripides, pop culture and contemporary experience, this unflinching descent into the underworld of hero-worship is an urgent attempt to topple a mythic figure, by women who defy the demands of tragedy.' (Production summary)