"We don't need fortresses; we need ports."

In this episode, Josephine Burton sits down with one of the world's most brilliant minds on myth and belonging, Dame Marina Warner. From the haunting songs of our childhood to the timeless epic of Gilgamesh, Marina explores the radical idea that storytelling isn't just entertainment but survival.

Recorded in Marina’s beautiful, art-filled home, this conversation opens with her mother’s courageous post-war journey to England. Discover the extraordinary story behind Stories in Transit, Marina’s work with young refugees using the power of ancient epics to reclaim their identities, break through language barriers, and turn the tide on "us vs. them" narratives.

What does it take to reclaim your voice when your country wants to silence it - and then take it on stage?

This is the second in our Songs of Solidarity series - conversations with artists, academics, writers and thinkers whose lives and work illuminate the themes at the heart of our new production: migration, displacement, survival, and the stories we tell to make sense of all three.

How do you create an epic for the modern world?

This is the start of our Songs of Solidarity mini-series; Josephine Burton and Maria Aberg take us behind the scenes as they discuss the journey of the last 18 months—from researching ancient epic traditions with academics to interviewing those with lived experiences of migration. Join us for a conversation about the art of "future-making," resisting traditional singular narratives, and the exciting, messy process of creating something new.

Songs of Solidarity, is a PROJEKT UTOPIA and Dash Arts co-production. We’re currently in the research and development stage co-produced with the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, in partnership with the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama, School of Advanced Studies, Roundhouse London, Asylum Welcome and Unbound Philanthropy. We are particularly grateful to Fiona Macintosh for her support and encouragement throughout.