A Platform Performance of Poetry from the National Theatre Introduced by Sir Peter Hall
Byron's irreverent portrait of Don Juan reaches across continents to infect Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, a Russian Byronic hero found wanting. Across a century as World War II approaches Europe, Byron's example spurs W. H. Auden in his letter from Iceland to an exuberant dance on the volcano's edge.
As well as plays the National Theatre performs poetry because poetry is language at its most potent. Recently these platform performances have been taken on tour and this programme of excerpts from the three poems was recorded at Goldsmiths' College Theatre, University of London. Don
Juan Michael Kitchen Eugene Onegin
Richard Johnson and Susan Fleetwood Letter to Byron
John Normington
Programme devised by MICHAEL KUSTOW Stage direction by JOHN RUSSELL BROWN and MICHAEL KUSTOW
Music arranged by DOMINIC MULDOWNEY
Costume ANNA DOWNEY
Designer GARY PRITCHARD Lighting HARRY THOMAS
Executive producer BILL MORTON Producer DENIS MORIARTY