Hello

I have just joined this site following a recommendation from a friend and I'm hoping that you can help me.

I am a folk fan and a theatre writer and I want to draw on the English folk tradition for my new play, "The Janus House" (working title). I have long wanted to use the "non-myth" of the Green Man with the idea of the natural work v modern life. I want to tap into the folk dance tradition as well but that will come later.

Reading Eliza Carthy's biography which gave me the idea of researching folk song lyrics. So, keeping in with my current themes of world-weariness, escape and parallel worlds / magic, I wondered if anyone could point me in the direction of some potential source material.

English in the first instance though I'm aware that there's a lot of Irish material in the Oisin / Tir na n'óg stories.

I have made enquiries with the Cecil Sharp Library too but any suggestions at this stage would be a very welcome help.

Many thanks

Julia