One of the more exciting things to read in a press release from Washington College is something along the lines of, “The Sophie Kerr Fund, in partnership with the Departments of English and Theatre, will be hosting a reading by….”
For those who can’t translate academic coded messages, what that means is that a pile of money has been pooled together to allow WC to bring to campus some of the most interesting living writers working today. It is those kinds of moments, whether it they be poets Billy Collins and Allen Ginsberg, or writers like Katherine Anne Porter and William Styron, that the literary community of Chestertown lives for. And it’s happening again at the end of the month.
Novelist Jasper Fforde may be less known in this country, but in the United Kingdom his literary creations have been looked upon as the new Harry Potter of literature. And his character, Thursday Next, a renowned special operative in literary detection, has has become a cult hero for a new generation of book lovers.
With signature lines like “If the real world were a book, it would never find a publisher. Overlong, detailed to the point of distraction-and ultimately, without a major resolution” his appearance in Chestertown can only be most welcomed.
But what makes this a particularly great home run event was the decision by the author to allow a stage adaptation of his book, The Eyre Affair, written and directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Brendon Fox.
The Spy spoke to Brendon about Fforde, his work, and the challenges on doing adaptations, particularly when author is coming across the Atlantic to see it.
Thursday, April 28 at 7:30
A stage adaptation by Brendon Fox of The Eyre Affair, based on the book by Jasper Fforde.
Hotchkiss Recital Hall in the Gibson Center for the Arts.
Subsequent workshop performances will be April 29 at 7:30, and May 1 at 1 p.m.
Fforde will attend the opening night performance and participate in a post-show Q&A with Fox, the actors, and the creative team.
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