Polly Samson, author of A Theatre for Dreamers.
1960. The world is dancing on the edge of revolution, and nowhere more so than on the Greek island of Hydra, where a circle of poets, painters and musicians live tangled lives, ruled by the writers Charmian Clift and George Johnston, troubled king and queen of bohemia. Forming within this circle is a triangle: its points the magnetic, destructive writer Axel Jensen, his dazzling wife Marianne Ihlen, and a young Canadian poet named Leonard Cohen.
Into their midst arrives teenage Erica, with little more than a bundle of blank notebooks and her grief for her mother. Settling on the periphery of this circle, she watches, entranced and disquieted, as a paradise unravels.
Burning with the heat and light of Greece, A Theatre for Dreamers is a spellbinding novel about utopian dreams and innocence lost – and the wars waged between men and women on the battlegrounds of genius.
We see all of these real-life characters from the perspective of our narrator, Erica, a seventeen-year-old outsider. Using a legacy from her mother, Erica travels with her brother Bobby and boyfriend Jimmy to the Greek island of Hydra. Here she finds herself in the group of bohemians and artists surrounding authors.
Into their midst arrives teenage Erica, with little more than a bundle of blank notebooks and her grief for her mother. Settling on the periphery of this circle, she watches, entranced and disquieted, as a paradise unravels.
Burning with the heat and light of Greece, A Theatre for Dreamers is a spellbinding novel about utopian dreams and innocence lost – and the wars waged between men and women on the battlegrounds of genius.
We see all of these real-life characters from the perspective of our narrator, Erica, a seventeen-year-old outsider. Using a legacy from her mother, Erica travels with her brother Bobby and boyfriend Jimmy to the Greek island of Hydra. Here she finds herself in the group of bohemians and artists surrounding authors.
After recently taking part in a group read along of A Theatre for Dreamers, the author was kind enough to chat with a small group of us taking part in the interactive read along and answer a few questions about the book. I loved reading her novel and was really excited to speak with her!
Whilst this wasn't a formal interview, Polly Samson was very open to talking with us and it was a lovely experience. I'd like to share with you some of the conversation regarding her writing process. It was so wonderful to hear from her and share how much we all loved the book!
Lockdown is a great time to curl up with a book. What are you reading lately?
Samson: I'm finding it quite difficult to read, annoyingly. It feels like shock. The closest I can relate it to is the period after my dad died from a medical accident. I am just starting to be able to read again. I have Anne Tyler and Enright and I'd normally gobble them up, but they are languishing one by my bed and one by the bath. My son, Charlie, has a book due out in August so I'm reading his proofs also.
Did you have any periods of writers block when you were working on a Theatre for dreamers?
Samson: I didn't have writers block at all. I was almost overflowing with it. I was worried I might never stop!
I must say I loved the book and have been reading up on some of the characters. Was there anyone you disliked?
Samson: Anyone I disliked? That's an interesting question! I started out by thinking that I loved Leonard Cohen's songs but didn't like the man but ended up liking him enormously because I found that he never made promises he couldn't keep, and I find that a great virtue. I think Axel, though an incredibly talented (and largely forgotten) writer was a real heel! I feel great affection for George and it's important to remember that sixty years ago was a different country. I often felt cross with Marianne on behalf of womankind and Bim's archives don't show him in a good light.
Marianne's childhood was very old-fashioned. The reason she lived with her grandmother was that her father had TB so she was sent away. But reading the letters I did lose sympathy because she just wouldn't read the writing on the wall. By the letters, I mean the ones that Leonard Cohen wrote to her which were sold by Christies. It was an amazing thing that I got to read them before they were all split up and sold. Nerve-wracking too as I had almost finished the novel by then but, phew, they didn't contradict anything I'd written.
How did the children of the characters respond to the book?
Samson: They have all been really supportive. I spent three of the happiest days of my life talking to "Bouli" on Hydra. I hadn't expected to ever meet him, it was entirely serendipitous, but we hit it off. I hope I've made a friend for life. We are still in touch and it would be lovely to talk to him about the book now that it's published. (I don't know if he's read it!) And others are just tickled, I think, to find their parents mentioned.
What advice do you give to new writers who are just getting started?
Samson: My best writing advice is to forget that there will ever be a reader. The only way I can write is by convincing myself that no-one will ever read what I've done.
What are you working on next Polly?
Samson: I am currently recording the audiobook. It was supposed to be narrated by the wonderful Rachel Stirling but her nanny has fallen victim to this awful virus. I thought I had finished but then my daughter listened and said I'd made Leonard Cohen sound like Eeyore and George is a bit too Sir Les Patterson! Back to the booth to re-record their voices. I'm no actor as it turns out.
Samson: I'm finding it quite difficult to read, annoyingly. It feels like shock. The closest I can relate it to is the period after my dad died from a medical accident. I am just starting to be able to read again. I have Anne Tyler and Enright and I'd normally gobble them up, but they are languishing one by my bed and one by the bath. My son, Charlie, has a book due out in August so I'm reading his proofs also.
Did you have any periods of writers block when you were working on a Theatre for dreamers?
Samson: I didn't have writers block at all. I was almost overflowing with it. I was worried I might never stop!
I must say I loved the book and have been reading up on some of the characters. Was there anyone you disliked?
Samson: Anyone I disliked? That's an interesting question! I started out by thinking that I loved Leonard Cohen's songs but didn't like the man but ended up liking him enormously because I found that he never made promises he couldn't keep, and I find that a great virtue. I think Axel, though an incredibly talented (and largely forgotten) writer was a real heel! I feel great affection for George and it's important to remember that sixty years ago was a different country. I often felt cross with Marianne on behalf of womankind and Bim's archives don't show him in a good light.
Marianne's childhood was very old-fashioned. The reason she lived with her grandmother was that her father had TB so she was sent away. But reading the letters I did lose sympathy because she just wouldn't read the writing on the wall. By the letters, I mean the ones that Leonard Cohen wrote to her which were sold by Christies. It was an amazing thing that I got to read them before they were all split up and sold. Nerve-wracking too as I had almost finished the novel by then but, phew, they didn't contradict anything I'd written.
How did the children of the characters respond to the book?
Samson: They have all been really supportive. I spent three of the happiest days of my life talking to "Bouli" on Hydra. I hadn't expected to ever meet him, it was entirely serendipitous, but we hit it off. I hope I've made a friend for life. We are still in touch and it would be lovely to talk to him about the book now that it's published. (I don't know if he's read it!) And others are just tickled, I think, to find their parents mentioned.
What advice do you give to new writers who are just getting started?
Samson: My best writing advice is to forget that there will ever be a reader. The only way I can write is by convincing myself that no-one will ever read what I've done.
What are you working on next Polly?
Samson: I am currently recording the audiobook. It was supposed to be narrated by the wonderful Rachel Stirling but her nanny has fallen victim to this awful virus. I thought I had finished but then my daughter listened and said I'd made Leonard Cohen sound like Eeyore and George is a bit too Sir Les Patterson! Back to the booth to re-record their voices. I'm no actor as it turns out.
Capturing the halcyon days of an artistic community on a Greek island in the 1960s, this blissful novel of escapism is hugely readable and atmospheric. I loved being whisked away to a little island in Greece with this delightful story!
A Theatre for Dreamers is a glorious read and I’m so pleased I was able to take part in the online read along for this one.
Thanks again to Bloomsbury and Tandem Collective for gifting me a copy of the book and giving me chance to speak with the author..
A Theatre for Dreamers is a glorious read and I’m so pleased I was able to take part in the online read along for this one.
Thanks again to Bloomsbury and Tandem Collective for gifting me a copy of the book and giving me chance to speak with the author..