PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND, PO1 2JE

Virginia Dare and the Lost Colony

Writer Alison Habens
Music, Lyrics and Audio Production Ben Macpherson
Director Erika Hughes
Production Assistant Georgia Bowers
Performers Staff and students from the University of Portsmouth
Produced for the Being Human Festival 2020

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On the cobbled promenade of historic Old Portsmouth stands a bronze statue. It features the group of travellers who sailed from the city to the ‘new world’ of America in the late 16th century. Among those emigres was John White, a man who would become governor and the grandfather of Virginia Dare, the first English child to be born in the ‘new world’ in 1587. Since then, Virginia Dare has become part of American folklore, while the mysterious disappearance of the colonists in Roanoke has continued to fascinate historians, conspiracy theorists and the world of entertainment—on television, film and in music. This original audiowalk explores their history, what it means to be ‘colonised’, and the power of imagining new worlds of our own.

It is free to download, and you are encouraged to don your coat, grab a pen or pencil, and your smartphone and earphones to enjoy this new theatrical audiowalk.

Duration: Approx. 50 minutes