Third Wall Theatre Company is commemorating the 65th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima on August 6th with a dramatic reading of acclaimed Canadian writer Henry Beissel’s epic poem Across The Sun’s Warp. The reading will feature the voices of the poet, of Third Wall Artistic Director James Richardson and, fresh from studying in Europe, of actor Kristina Watt.
Across The Sun’s Warp is the sixth poem in a cycle which represents a quest for an understanding of the point humanity has reached today in its turbulent development as the dominating species on the planet. The entire cycle is divided into four groups representing the seasons and is entitled Seasons of Blood. It explores the human condition from three perspectives: those of Nature, of Science, and of Politics. Harold Rhenisch, in a review of Across the Sun’s Warp, wrote: “Genghis Khan, the creation of Kyoto by the Samurai, ‘The eight-armed Buddha with a lotus flower,’ Truman’s glee at calling for the bombs to fall, the process of nuclear fission in the sun, are all given voice, woven into the story of light which is the story of this poem.”
Henry Beissel is a poet, playwright, translator and editor. His versatility as a writer is evident in even a partial list of the over 30 acclaimed publications to his credit: 16 volumes of poetry, 6 books of plays, translations from the works of Ibsen and Mrozek, to name just two. His work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. His most successful play, Inuk and the Sun, which premiered in Stratford, has been and is still being performed in many parts of the world.
A man of the world, he currently lives in Ottawa where he masterfully adapted Ibsen’s epic play Peer Gynt for Third Wall Theatre and he will also be adapting Sophocles’ Antigone for the company’s upcoming season. Henry’s voice will be one of the distinct voices of three prominent artists within Ottawa’s theatre community.
The presentation will take place at 8 p.m. on August 6th at the Glebe St. James United Church, 650 Lyon Street South. There is no admission charge, but donations will be accepted on behalf of the United Church of Canada’s peace initiatives. The event is also sponsored by the Humanist Society of Canada.
