Light Night

Friday 7th October 2016

Elements of Love: Cupid and Psyche

Parkinson Court and Mezzanine/Balcony (adjacent to and above the Stanley and Aubrey Burton Gallery), Parkinson Building, University of Leeds

Bringing the story of Cupid and Psyche to life: meet the characters and complete tasks to help Psyche regain her lost love and gain her immortality. The interactive event on Parkinson mezzanine/balcony (accessible by stairs and/or by lift) will be accompanied by story-telling in Parkinson Court and a small exhibition of items from the Special Collections of the Brotherton Library, which feature Cupid and Psyche and are being developed as an on-line resource, see Facets of Apuleius’ Golden Ass in the Brotherton Special Collections.

Step into a North African Roman tale of the Soul's journey to fulfillment. Let Zephyr waft you through the air to Cupid's Palace; follow beautiful Psyche (Soul) as she uses fire to discover if her unseen husband is a monster; complete three tasks to gain his trust and her immortality.

Characters will include: Cupid and Psyche, Psyche's sisters, Charon, Cerberus and Venus.

Activities will include: flying through the air to Cupid's palace, creeping into Cupid's bedroom by lamplight, doing three tasks (sorting seeds, finding golden fleece and collecting Persephone's beauty from the Underworld), meeting Venus.

For those of you unsure of the story of Cupid and Psyche, the story we will be using for our story-telling activity is available to CypidandPsycheAlbum (12,555kB pdf).