In 1816, two celebrated poets and their lovers met on a beach in Switzerland and over the course of the next six years, each of these people were forced to overcome physical and mental challenges. By the end of it all, one of them would continue their fame, one would be a well-known author, one would be lost and another would be dead. This fall, SSCC Theatre presents the true life story of the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, played by Benjamin Gullett, and the journey with his mistress, later wife, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, author of Frankenstein (Brandy Chandler) and Mary’s step-sister, Claire Clairemont (Honey Smith) to the shores of Lake Geneva to meet another of England’s greatest Romantic poets, George, The Lord Byron (Bill Lange). But their adventure only begins here. This quartet continually challenges each other’s ideas of language, love and religion. And, during all of this, a number of serious questions are raised, not the least of which is why fervent radicals seem so often to be done in by their reprehensible characters. The London Financial Times says, “Radicalism, artistic defiance, an intellectual rage. These are the virtues celebrated in this extraordinary dream play which begins, as it ends, on a foreign shore.”
Howard Brenton&’s Bloody Poetry opens November 9 at 7:30 p.m. and has additional performances on November 10 at 7:30 p.m and again on November 11 at 3:30 p.m. Also among the cast are Justin Stitch as the constantly berated Dr. William Polidori and Kimberly Michael as the haunting first wife of Bysshe Shelley, Harriet Westbrook. Bloody Poetry is directed by Rainee Angles and is stage managed by Sarah Williams. Set and light design is provided by Will Klotz, sound design by Jon Davidson and costume design by Diane Evans. Stage crew positions are fulfilled with the talents of Brent Angles, Courtney Beekman, Hannah Braden, Daniel Bragdon, Centerius Carter, Amanda Castro, Katie Cavendish, Leslie Ealy, Eden Gullett, Alexandria Horsley, Jamie McCoy, C. Louis Pfaehler, Jason Sharrett, Ayla Stirnaman, Shawn Weyer and A.J. Yourkvitch. Tickets are available at $7 for general admission, and $5 for pre-sale, students, and faculty. Bloody Poetry is not appropriate for children under the age of 14. More information about Bloody Poetry can be found here.