Sayeth Heimdall-Hermes, Messenger and Guardian of the bridge Bifrost, who with feathered ears hears you approach through cyberspace as readily as He can hear the grass growing in yonder field:
' -Come, O mortals, Cross the Rainbow Bridge from Midgard to Valhalla, beCome your wode-self, and Feast with the Gods!'
Metamorphic Ritual Theatre Co. presented this special one-off event at the beautiful MONTSALVAT European-style Medieval Village and Arts Centre in Eltham (/Alfheim), to celebrate the Imbolc (Sabbat Festival of the Celtic Fire-Goddess Bridgit) full mooon on Sunday the 1st of August (southern hemisphere seasonal festival) '04.
The theatrical and ritual elements of the evening interwove two major strands of mythic drama -that of the Celtic-Arthurian quest of Parzival for the Holy Grail, and the Norse mythos of Odin and the Feasting Hall of Valhalla.
Uniting these tales and various other mythological and cultural threads that were incorporated are the pervading symbols and universal archetypes of the Tarot.
For the work was loosely based around director Orryelle's multi-cultural and multi-subcultural BOOK of KAOS Tarot Deck.
Guests arrived at 5pm and followed the Holy Fool Parzival on his quest for the Holy Grail at Montsalvat
(Parzival actually sought this chalice of ecstasy at the original 'Mount of Salvation' which our spectacular Melbourne venue is named after), with interactive theatrickals around the lush grounds.
Parzival: 'This is my divine aspiration:
I seek the Holy Grail
That elusive font of inspiration
My words cannot avail
I seek the source of passion
The secret of the sacred cup I cannot tell
A task the mask of mind can't fathom
Yet one the heart knows Well...'
Crying that he also seeks the Spear of Destiny, which he is sure it is his destiny to find here at the Mount of Salvation, Parzival leads the gathering crowd through an arbor -as the In-it-I-Ates pass through this arched passage of webbed branches, above them in this wyrd tangle crouches the Norn of the Future, whispering...
Skuld: 'Welcome, initiate
WelCome, in-it-I-Ate,
What is your Will, and what is your fAte?
I am Skuld, and my sisters await...'
Parzival leads the in-it-I-ates to a cage in the garden, where crouches Hugin, Raven of Thought, trapped in a small cage, so that when he tries to stretch his piano-accordian wings, he fails to sing and only squawks, fed coins like a broken machine stuck in a loop.
Parzival passes a piping faun on his dance down the hill, then following hir to the Luthier's (violin-maker's) hut he puts down his bell and his stick and his sack, and takes up his fiddle...
In-I-Ates are led by pied Parzival down the hill, to discover around a corner two cellists who now accompany his tune. They are asked to pass between them, through this gateway of musick to come find the Holy Graal...
In-it-I-ates are led past the lake and into the Gardens. There two flower maidens and a child emerge, and the maidens attempt to seduce Parzival. But he rejects them, saying he is not interested in things of the flesh, as he is on a spiritual quest, still seeing the Grail as this stage as separate from the realms of matter...
Parzival leads everyone past a second lake, and sees a dragon in its murky depths. This re-minds him of something ancient, and he summons Munin, Raven of Mem-ory, who arises from the murky waters of the sub-conscious...
'To the sacred marriage, you are invoked and invited,
You will see Shiva and Shakti united...
'Ardhanrishvara-An, Ardhanrishvara-An,Ardhanrishvara-An
'To the sacred marriage, you are invoked and invited,
You will see Grail and Spear united...'
'Ardhanrishvara-An, Ardhanrishvara-An,Ardhanrishvara-An
Ardhanarishvara-An exits and Parzival returns, reeling from the vision he has just had: 'I know now that I shall find these things, and bring them together. It is my destiny!...'
Parzival -with crowd in tow- follows her to a doorway where she stands framed and still with the Grail. (That's a peacock on the roof)
Again he kneels in adoration, spouting verse about the culmination of his heroic quest, and She carries the Chalice away unnoticed whilst he is lost in his spiritual reverie.
Parzival leads the crowd around the corner of the Hall and across the Courtyard.
As everyone comes down the hill and the Grail-Maiden disappears behind a tree,
Parzival is suddeny distracted by the sight of a Flaming Sword held aloft by a feminine arm from the Lake...
He throws down his stick, bundle and bell and runs towards it.
He is not the only one to have noticed the Flaming Sword. A noble knight -Amfortas- kneels before it at Lake's-edge, adoring what he believes to be the fabled Excalibur.
In reflection of Parzival's own foolishness, while Amfortas is lost in his adoration, a Barbarian comes up, kicks him aside and takes the sword for himself...
Amfortas challenges the Barbarian, and when their swords meet the flame transfers to his own blade.
A spectacular Fire Sword Duel ensues...
