A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words and Music St Michael’s Church, Stinsford

Marking 150 years since the first publication of Far From the Madding Crowd, we celebrate Thomas Hardy in his own words, poetry, novels, and the music he loved so much.

Starring acclaimed actor Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, Wolf Hall, Endeavour), A Beautiful Thread (produced by Hambletts) weaves Hardy’s life – dramatic as any of his books – with his beautiful poetry and great novels, including Far From the Madding Crowd, Tess of the d’Urbervilles, and Jude the Obscure. Hardy put more music into his work than any other writer, and the Swan’s Artistic Director, David Le Page has devised a musical programme of shimmering beauty – a Mellstock folk band style, that combines West Gallery Music from the village churches of the 1840’s with Holst, Purcell and contemporary folk.

Devised and adapted by Deirdre Shields (Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music), Hardy’s extraordinary writing shines as bright as ever.

Music Director David Le Page

Director Judy Reaves

Narrator Lucia Bonbright

Actor Anton Lesser

Overview of A Beautiful Thread from Adaptor, Deirdre Shields

The challenge with Thomas Hardy – monumental novelist, extraordinary poet – was always going to be ‘Where to begin?’. Until it dawned on me that the place to start would be with an ending, Hardy’s own, which is even more Thomas Hardy than a Thomas Hardy novel. That gave us all a way in. Judy Reaves and David Hamblett have created something truly extraordinary with their imaginative recreation of Words and Music, producing something that is nothing less than a whole new way of performing.

Anton, Lucia, David and the wonderful musicians of Orchestra of the Swan bring all the magic, and we very much hope you enjoy our telling of Hardy’s novels, poetry, life and music.

Venue: St Michael’s Church, Stinsford