Saturday 21 June 2025, 3:30pm and 7:30pm

‘I shall astonish you all’

Following last summer’s sold out production of Red Sky at Sunrise – Laurie Lee in Words & Music, Hambletts and Orchestra of the Swan return to 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.

Written by Deirdre Shields (Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music).

Music Director David Le Page
Director Judy Reaves