-2-720x500-blur.jpg)
“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness…”
An exhilarating performance of Allen Ginsberg’s landmark poem, accompanied by a live, improvised jazz score.
Frequently described as 'the first beat of the Beat Generation', which included Jack Kerouac, and one of the greatest works of American literature, this performance marks the 70th anniversary of the poem’s composition, inspired by a terrifying peyote-fuelled vision.
Erupting with a torrent of virtuosic language and hallucinatory imagery, the poem is adapted for performance by The Faction, acclaimed for their intelligent approach to text and a bold and dynamic visual inventiveness. The Faction return to Wilton’s Music Hall, following their successful productions of The Talented Mr. Ripley and Macbeth. Howl is performed by The Faction’s Artistic Director Mark Leipacher and the Gary Crosby Trio.
After its first performance and publication, Howl was the subject of two obscenity trials, for the directness of its language and its frank depiction of sexuality. Yet, at the centre of the poem is an enduring love story, between Ginsberg and Carl Solomon, which goes through hell, and emerges sublime.
Previous praise for The Faction:
'A real signature in imaginative, contemporary and visceral versions of the classics… this enterprising and determined company is doing us all a service.' The Stage
Running time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, plus interval
Content warnings: Strong language, sexual imagery, and references to addiction, suicide, and violence.