The Cauldron Presents…

Photograph by Robin Straaijer

Welcome to the hottest show for love’s tips and tricks straight from your most reliable source: The Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. This is Always Aphrodite!...

But hold up - what happens when even the Goddess of Love decides she's over it? Where does that leave the rest of us? 

This 70-minute storytelling show weaves a fine line between high-camp performances with brutally honest personal storytelling, and a side of sass. Maybe it’s time to revisit love and the fairytales we've been told...

Always Aphrodite!

Nov 30th & Dec 1st
Torpedo TheateR Amsterdam

After an almost full-house run at the Edinburgh Fringe, we can’t wait to bring this show to Amsterdam!

Meet the Team

  • Lauren Maxwell

    Creator, Producer, Co-writer, Director, Performer

    Lauren Maxwell is an Amsterdam-based writer, producer, and performer with over 30 years of experience in theatre and performing. She has performed extensively in the Netherlands, and also in America and most recently, the UK. You can occasionally see her in Happily Ever After productions, at Mezrab and other venues telling stories, or at Boom Chicago with the Amsterdam School of Burlesque. Following her success at the Fringe, Lauren is set to produce alongside Smartphone Orchestra, a groundbreaking show for the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam. Her past work includes producing for the Circle of Truth, an immersive theatrical event in Amsterdam Noord, the Netherlands Film Festival’s Story Jam, and having two of her plays, Divorce Party and Life After Death, performed by Downstage Left. Outside of touring Always Aphrodite, she is working on a variety show to be produced in 2025. 

  • Phillip Melchers

    Co-writer, Performer

    Phillip Melchers is an Amsterdam-based storyteller and writer who focuses on the queer experience, spirituality, and personal growth. A regular host and performer at Mezrab, Phillip's stories explore the depths of human connection through personal insights and universal themes. He has performed at various storytelling communities, including Seanchoíche and the Grand Pillow Society, as well as at the Netherlands Film Festival’s Story Jam.

  • Daragh Gillen

    Arranger and composer

    Daragh Gillen, a Music graduate from Queen's University Belfast specializing in Irish Harp and Classical Guitar, has performed in musicals across the UK and Ireland, including Footloose, Grease, The Last Five Years, Bring it On, and Sunset Boulevard. Now based in Amsterdam, he's active in the Dutch drama scene with roles in Be More Chill, Addams Family, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Outside of musical theatre, Daragh collaborates with various artists and creates music that spans Irish traditional, pop, electronic, and heavier genres.

  • Guest contributors

    Margo van de Linde - Guest Director

    Sinéad O’Brien  - Dramaturg

    Brittany Sanders - Movement Coach

  • Photograph by: Cheryl Hart Photography

  • Photography by: Steven Leishman Photography