Armitage’s Medieval translation to debut at Lawrence Batley
October 22, 2008
Distinguished Huddersfield poet Simon Armitage’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is to debut at the town’s Lawrence Batley Theatre tomorrow before beginning a six-month national tour. The production is a collaboration between Lawrence Batley and New Perspectives Theatre Company, and performances at Lawrence Batley will take place between 23 and 25 October. It is to return to Yorkshire mid-tour, with performances at The Carriageworks (18 and 19 February), Harrogate Theatre (20 and 21 February) and Rotherham Arts Centre (6 March).
The Medieval poem, which has also been translated by JRR Tolkien, recounts the tale of the sudden appearance of an unknown knight at the court of King Arthur on New Year’s Eve, his open challenge to which the intrepid Sir Gawain responds and the eventful journey that Sir Gawain undertakes to try to make sure that he keeps his agreement with the Green Knight a year later. Full of romance, humour and chivalry, it is one of the core works in the canon of English literature.
After being published by Faber and Faber (UK) and Norton (USA) in 2007, Armitage’s translation was read by four actors at the National Theatre Platforms, and now reaches its first full theatrical production. The dramatisation will star Freddie Machin, Vera Chok, Leigh Kelly and Karl Haynes, and is directed by Daniel Buckroyd and designed by Juliet Shillingford, with music composed by Matt Marks.
-Simon Walker