A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & MusicBlank Mobile A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & MusicBlank
A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & Music

A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & Music

2 Jul 2026, 7:30pm
Book Now
2 Jul 2026, 7:30pm Book Now

A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & Music

Performed by Anton Lesser, Lucia Bonbright, and Orchestra of the Swan.

Starring Anton LesserA Beautiful Thread 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 Orchestra of 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 with Holst, Warlock and contemporary folk. Adapted by Deirdre ShieldsHardy’s extraordinary writing shines bright as ever.

Anton Lesser and Lucia Bonbright bring a hugely varied cast to dazzling life: from Hardy, his mother, Jemima and his wives, Emma and Florence, to George Bernard Shaw, and Virginia Woolf, along with the immortal characters from his novels. The show also highlights Hardy’s humour (often overlooked!), his modernity, the astonishing time-span he lived through, and his global reach, from Hollywood to Japan.

Anton Lesser says, ‘Words and Music is a kind of unique genre, neither pure reading, nor acting, but with an immediacy that comes from the huge emotional impact the music has upon the words, and vice versa, and the interplay we as actors enjoy with the musicians on-stage. Quite simply, it’s the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done!

Narrators: Anton Lesser, Lucia Bonbright with Orchestra of the Swan
Director: Judy Reaves
Music Director: David Le Page
Producer: Hambletts

Running time: 2 hours including a 20 minute interval

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Thu 2 Jul
7:30 pm
£34.00 - £21.00
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A Beautiful Thread – Thomas Hardy in Words & Music

Anton Lesser

Anton Lesser is one of our best-loved actors. His renowned body of work includes Theatre, Film and TV.  His role as Thomas More in Wolf Hall earned him a BAFTA nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other credits include Major Partagaz in Andor, Qyburn in Game of Thrones, Harold Macmillan in The CrownEndeavour, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides. Anton also has one of the country’s best-known voices, thanks to his extensive work with BBC Radio (including Falco) and audiobooks, including most of Dickens’ novels. An Associate of the RSC, Anton recently appeared in Rupert Goold’s Hamlet at the RSC,  Stratford-upon-Avon.

Lucia Bonbright

Lucia Bonbright is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. During her time at RADA, Lucia’s credits included Spring Awakening, Pomona and A Winter’s Tale.  She played Princess Mary/Vera in A Hero in our Time by Mikhail Lermontov at below Stone Nest, on Shaftesbury AvenueShe can be seen in Lena Dunham’s Netflix series, Too Much. Lucia previously studied English Literature at Wesleyan University (USA) and University of Oxford.

Deirdre Shields, Writer

Deirdre has written Words and Music shows for Anton Lesser, Alexander Armstrong, and Harriet Walter. She works with Hambletts, developing new projects, the latest being By A Lady. – the Life and Wit of Jane Austen, GEORGE Eliot in Words and Music, with Harriet Walter and SuRie, and current touring productions also include Red Sky at Sunrise – Laurie Lee in Words and Music.

Orchestra of the Swan

Orchestra of the Swan, under the Artistic Direction of David Le Page, captivates audiences through a blend of experimentation with both classical and non-classical music, offering performances that are innovative and unique. The orchestra works with outstanding collaborators and international soloists, melding their unique orchestral sound with folk, jazz and world music, making ‘orchestral’ music more accessible. The Orchestra has been in the Top 40 Classical Charts for their last five albums, was nominated for a Grammy award in 2022, and enjoys a 14 million global audio streaming audience.

David Le Page

David is Artistic Director of Orchestra of the Swan, the Hanborough Concerts and the Le Page Ensemble. Born on the island of Guernsey, David Le Page began playing the violin at the age of seven. He was offered a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School aged twelve and has since forged a diverse career as a performer and composer. His eclectic approach to writing, arranging and performing has been formed by an interest in many musical genres, from baroque and folk to jazz, contemporary classical and experimental rock, pop and electronica.

Hambletts, Producer

Led by David Hamblett and Judy Reaves, Hambletts specialise in producing exciting new projects, taking them to unusual spaces and creating new audiences.  Hambletts create exceptional words and music productions, in collaboration with Orchestra of the Swan and scriptwriter, Deirdre Shields.  Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music (starring Anton Lesser) sold out the RSC’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon; Oxford Playhouse, Salisbury International Arts Festival, Saffron Hall, and Buxton Opera House, and featured on BBC Radio 4 Today, Radio 3 and 6Music. Also touring GEORGE Eliot in Words and Music, with Harriet Walter and SuRie, Dear Loll with Daisy Waterstone, A Christmas Carol with Anton Lesser and By A Lady.  – the Life and Wit of Jane Austen.

 

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