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Modern Fairies

In Series One Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield introduce the themes of traditional British tales about fairies with some readings and songs, the inspiration for their new creative project ‘Modern Fairies and Loathly Ladies’. Tales about the Other World, fairy lovers, fairies and children and helpful fairies, along with the monstrous females who must be disenchanted by the hero are the themes of the five episodes. In Series Two Carolyne and Fay discuss the creative works that the project generated, exploring the themes that particularly inspired the artists and the new themes that they evolved for themselves. The five new episodes introduce the project and its artists, and then explore ideas of fairyland as an alternative time and space, fairies and children, fairies and the environment and fairy and other magical transformations.

Modern Fairies is a unique collaboration between leading songwriters, musicians, artists, poets, filmmakers and researchers to develop exciting new work, presenting fresh perspectives on what folklore means to us in the modern world.

# Episode Title Description People Date
10 Series Two Episode One: Introducing the Modern Fairies Project Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield introduce the artists and outcomes of the Modern Fairies Project. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield 22 Sep 2020
9 Series Two Episode Two: Fairy Time and Space Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield explore the ways in which the project artists engaged with the fairy world as parallel and yet distinct from our world, and the ways in which time warps in the other world. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Barney Morse Brown, Ewan MacPherson 22 Sep 2020
8 Series Two Episode Three: Fairies and Children Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield uncover the works inspired by the strange tale of the Green Children and the changeling legend. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Terri Windling, Brian McMahon 22 Sep 2020
7 Series Two Episode Four: Fairies and the Environment Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield talk about a new theme that emerged in the ‘Modern Fairies’ project, fairies as guardians of the environment. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Ben Nicholls, Inge Thomson 22 Sep 2020
6 Series Two Episode Five: Fairy and Other Transformations Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield discuss the theme of transformation through fairy or other kinds of magic. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Lucy Farrell, Inge Thomson 22 Sep 2020
5 Introducing Fairies and Fairyland Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield introduce the Modern Fairies project and talk about traditional imaginings of fairyland. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Brian McMahon 28 Jan 2019
4 Fairy Wives and Fairy Lovers Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield talk about love and marriage between humans and fairies. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Brian McMahon 08 Feb 2019
3 Helpful Fairies Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield discuss how fairies and humans can co-operate and assist each other. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Brian McMahon, Lucy Farrell 12 Feb 2019
2 Fairies, Children and Changelings Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield talk about the strange interest that fairies take in human infants, and the plight of children who stumble into this world, and can’t get home. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Brian McMahon, Marry Waterson 19 Feb 2019
1 Loathly Ladies Carolyne Larrington and Fay Hield talk about the loathly lady: the hideous hag who knows the secret that the hero seeks, and whom he must learn how to respect. Carolyne Larrington, Fay Hield, Brian McMahon 26 Feb 2019