Hardly, Thomas Hardy (as Thomas Hardy): ‘She had the hard, half-apathetic expression of one who deems anything possible at the hands of Time and Chance except, perhaps, fair play!’
Theo Duncan-Thrush: Well, it’s hardly Thomas Hardy!
HTH: I never said that it was going to be exactly like him. In fact, I distinctly remember saying that it was going to be more of a homage to the great man; with elements of his novels and his poems liberally scattered amongst snippets of his life story in an hour-long performance that incorporated song, dance and the mime routines that he will always be remembered for.
TDT: It may have seemed like a good idea to you when you first had it; but, if after that you had realised what little demand there was for Mister Hardy and his tales of woe in distant Devon… Did you say ‘mime routines?’
HTH: I did. Little known fact about Thomas that he was a big fan of Marcel Marceau.
TDT: Wasn’t!
HTH: He was. They were both performing in the mid 1920s.
TDT: Marcel Marceau was ‘four’ when Hardy died.
HTH: And?
TDT: Hardly going to be a mine artist at four!
HTH: he started early.
TDT: Took his dog?
HTH: What?
TDT: Emily Dickinson. A poet. Contemporary with Hardy.
HTH; Whatever. I need to specialise. I can’t do every poet under the Sun.
TDT: Well, aim for just the one, then.
HTH: I shall. Good advice for once.
TDT: Any idea which one?
HTH: Ha ha ha!
Both: Hardy!
Both laugh.
HTH: I shall go for Thomas Hardy.
TDT: In mime?
HTH (mimes): Maybe…
