The Invention of Love
a new play by Tom Stoppard (1997)
The central character of Tom Stoppard's new play is AE Housman, one of this century's best-loved English poets. The author of A Shropshire Lad was also the greatest classical scholar of his age - though not the best loved.
Poetry, scholarship and love are entwined in this sympathetic view of a private life lived parallel to the public career of his near- contemporary, Oscar Wilde. In this unliteral treatment, parallel lines are allowed to meet.
The cast includes John Wood as the elderly Housman and Paul Rhys as his young self.
Tom Stoppard's recent work includes Indian Ink and Arcadia. The latter opened in the Lyttelton and toured the UK, as did the National's recent production of Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
Approx running time 2 hours 45 mins
Photo by John Haynes
