Imagine a 10th-century Viking TED Talk on what it means to be a Viking warrior woman. As Garrison Commander Ingrid Larsdottir comedically endeavours to engage recruits, she inadvertently reveals her tragic and violent personal history. Watching her struggle with her trauma is unsettling. Witnessing her tap into her inner strength is inspiring. Ingrid’s clarion call for equality and recruits prevails! She empowers women to reclaim the warrior archetype in our modern world.

Written and performed by Melanie Teichroeb, this modern feminist story uses a character from the past to expose the reality that not enough has changed in the treatment of women since the time of Vikings…one thousand years ago. Shield Maiden challenges untruths about women and gendered expectations and is based on a historical character whose history was hellishly gaslighted.