Fans of the works of Thomas Hardy can delight in an evening celebrating his life, novels, and poetry when A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words and Music comes to Theatre Royal Winchester on Sunday 7 September.
A Beautiful Thread weaves the English writer’s life – as dramatic as any of his books– with his novels (Far From the Madding Crowd, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure)and poetry – with actors Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, The Crown, Wolf Hall)and Lucia Bonbright (recent graduate of RADA, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) bringing to life a host of individuals including Hardy, his mother, Jemima and his wives, Emma and Florence, George Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf, and immortal characters from Hardy’s novels – with his writings adapted for the show by journalist, editor, and scriptwriter, Dierdre Shields.
The show also explores how Hardy put more music into his work than any other writer and features a musical programme devised by David Le Page – performer, composer, producer, arranger and Artistic Director of Orchestra of the Swan – which, founded in 1995, tells stories through a blend of classical and non-classical music. The music is in a Mellstock folk band style that combines West Gallery music with Holst, Warlock and contemporary folk.
A Beautiful Thread highlights too, Hardy’s humour; his modernity; the astonishing time-span he lived through; and his global reach – from Hollywood to Japan. It is directed by Judy Reaves and produced by Hambletts.
A Beautiful Thread: Thomas Hardy in Words and Music will be at Theatre Royal Winchester on Sunday 7 September at 3pm. For more information, or to book tickets, visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
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