Photo by Anna Levin
THE RAVEN
A man sits alone, wrapped in memory and inertia. Like Pinocchio, Poe’s haunted narrator is not quite real—flickering at the edges of his own shape. Surrounded by old books and flickering screens, he ruminates, overstimulated and under-chased. In today’s world, he might be obsessively scrolling for bad news, caught in the endless echo of digital noise. Until—something taps. A bird enters…
The Raven is a solo multimedia performance that reimagines Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic poem for the contemporary moment. Blending physical theatre, poetic text, and live video, the work teeters between theatre and performance art, asking: What is it that’s frozen within us? What part of ourselves cannot move on? What knocks, asking to be transformed?
Created and performed by Charles Sandford, The Raven speaks to the haunted spaces of modern life: isolation, grief, technology, and the possibility of becoming whole again. It is both an elegy and an invitation.
QUOTH THE RAVEN
THE RAVEN is a cross-disciplinary project; a performance, an exhibition and a publication created at BOARC(Bidston artistic research Centre). Developed in collaboration with Sean’s Place, a Merseyside-based mental health charity and Bridewell Studios, a Merseyside-based community studio, culminating in a premier at The Unity Theatre, Liverpool in 2026. The project engages men and young people struggling with mental health and isolation.
We are currently seeking funding and partners for the final phase of bringing The Raven to life. If you are interested in the project and would like to get involved please do reach out via the contact page.
Development so far
Research & development phase 1 & 2 @ Bidston Observatory 2024/2025
UP NEXT FEST 2025 @ Unity Theatre, Liverpool - Work in progress performance and mentorship
TOTNES FRINGE 2025 - Work in progress performance and feedback sessions
LAB WORKS @ The Coronet Theatre, London - Work in progress performance and feedback sessions
QUOTH THE PEOPLE
“Visually arresting, atmospheric & Origional”
Unity Theatre, Audience
“Deeply moved, left me speachless”
Totnes Fringe, Audience
“One of the best pieces of theatre I’ve seen”
Totnes Fringe, Audience
“Profoundly moved, met and changed by the performance”
Totnes Fringe, Audience
“The next David Lynch of the theatre world”
Unity Theatre, Audience
“Radical, contempory & moving”
Unity Theatre, Audience
the team
Lead Artist, Writer & Performer:
Charles Sandford
Somatic Dramaturgy & Direction: Mary Pearson
Production Manager Rhianna Compton
Lighting Designer Xenia Bayer
Photographer & Co-Designer: Anna Levin
Creation & Rehearsal Space: Bidston Artistic Research Centre (BOARC)
Collaborators & Supporters:
The Unity Theatre, Bidston Artistic Research centre (BOARC), Eli Randle, Sean’s Place, Eden’s Cave Company, Animikii Theatre, Adam Davies, Anna Levin, Charles Sobry, Bridewell Studios.
“What haunts us is something that seeks its own disappearance, it wants to become fully itself and so depart.”
David Whyte
