THE MERMAID OF ZENNOR
The Mermaid of Zennor is a Cornish folk tale steeped in enchantment and lust. In the traditional telling, a mysterious mermaid, captivated by the voice of choir boy Matthew Trewhella, lures him from the church down to the rugged cliffs of Pendower Cove, before disappearing forever into the sea. For centuries, the story has echoed with romanticised notions of temptation and forbidden love. But what if the truth was darker?
This reimagining begins where the myth ends. Matthew is no longer cast as a passive innocent led astray by desire; instead, he becomes a figure of control, having followed the mermaid not out of love, but in pursuit of dominance. The mermaid, far from a sultry seductress, is recast as a woman trapped in a psychologically abusive relationship, one defined by cycles of dependence, despair, and distorted reality.
The mermaid’s inner world unfolds through ethereal movement and electroacoustic textures: control, desire, and power collide to tell the tale of a mermaid entrapped, a myth rewritten.
The Mermaid of Zennor premiered at Milton Court Concert Hall in July 2025. Thanks to the brilliant team involved!
Annie Chown — director, electronics
Emily Hopper — harp
Georgie West — cello
Isadora Pulman-Jones — voice
Nuala Fraser — choreography
Ana Maria Diana Badila — dance
Uju Olisa — costume design
Brook Richardson — photography
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