An Evening with Rudyard Kipling is a new stage production, telling the story of Kipling’s life with readings from his poetry and prose, and music from acclaimed band Head North.

It takes Kipling from his early days as the chronicler of Britain’s Indian Raj, through to his high point as poet of Empire for Edwardian England. Finally it shows his role as the voice of the nation in the First World War.

“What comfort can I find ?” was the anguished question asked by the writer Rudyard Kipling after the death of his only son Jack at the Battle of Loos, a hundred years ago in the autumn of 1915. Kipling provided his own brutally realistic answer – “none this tide, nor any tide”.

Having come face to face in a very personal way with the painful destruction of the First World War, Kipling used his writing talent to put into words the sufferings shared by millions of people. Kipling became the unofficial voice of the people of Britain and its Empire - he is the author of many of the words by which we now remember the dead of the Great War. It was he who coined the phrases “Lest we forget, lest we forget” and “A Soldier of the Great War Known unto God.”

The show includes many Kipling favourites - “If”, regularly voted Britain’s favourite poem, “Recessional”, “The White Man’s Burden”, “Tommy” and extracts from Plain Tales from the Hills and the Just So stories, and a superb song version of Kipling’s poem “My Boy Jack” specially written by Rob Sword of Head North.

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Starring:

• Robert Hardy - stage and TV "All Creatures Great and Small", "The Wilderness Years" - as Churchill
• Sarah Parish - worked extensively in film, theatre & television for the past 22 years
• Jim Murray - worked extensively in film, theatre & television for the past 15 years.
• Khalid Aziz - worked in broadcasting as a presenter for over 20 years.
• Philip Geddes - worked as a presenter, writer and producer for over 30 years

The evening is in aid of The Not Forgotten Association. Founded after the Great War to support the wounded, it is a unique national tri-service charity which provides entertainment, leisure and recreation for the serving wounded, injured or sick and for ex-service men & women with disabilities.

Important information:

1. Eventbrite charge a booking fee of £1.67 to use this service. This is in addition to the £15 ticket price.

2. Car parking is next to Memorial Hall (see map).