The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour: The Poetry of the Natural World

The Josephine Hart Poetry Hour is where renowned actors bring iconic poetry to life.

What started as The Gallery Poets in Cork Street during the vibrant late 1980s quickly took flight, becoming a cross-Atlantic sensation. Over the years, it has graced some of the world’s most prestigious stages, from The Hay Festival and The National Theatre to the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, the New York Public Library, and Harvard University.

Since 2004, the Poetry Hour has found its home at the British Library, where it continues to thrive, keeping the spirit of poetry alive. Now, The Poetry Hour comes to Nevill Holt Festival for a glorious hour of poetry about the natural world from some of the worlds best poets.

With guest readers Denise Gough, Joan Iyiola and Giles Terera.

Denise Gough is an Irish actress known for her stage and screen performances. She has won Olivier Awards for her roles in People, Places and Things and Angels in America, with the latter production also receiving a Tony Award nomination. Her theatre credits include Portia Coughlan, Desire Under the Elms, and The Duchess of Malfi. On screen, Denise starred opposite Sebastian Stan in Monday, directed by Argyris Papadimitropoulos. Her film credits also include Colette, The Other Lamb, and ’71. Gough’s television credits include roles in Andor, the BAFTA-nominated Too Close and Under the Banner of Heaven, in which she starred alongside Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

Joan’s screen work includes Black Earth Rising (BBC/Netflix) and the BAFTA-shortlisted short film DỌLÁPỌ̀ IS FINE (HBO, Netflix, Disney+). On stage, she has delivered powerful performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company and at the Donmar Warehouse, where she was also an Associate Artist.

Giles Terera is an Olivier award-winning actor of stage and screen. As a musical theatre veteran, he won an Olivier award for his performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton, as well as starring in Avenue Q, Rent and The Book of Mormon. He is a regular of some of the most prominent UK stages, including the National Theatre (Othello, Hamlet, Death & The Kings Horseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Blues For An Alabama Sky), The Globe (The Merchant of Venice and King John), the RSC (The Tempest) and the Young Vic (Passing Strange and Generations of the Dead). His screen credits include Frank and Louis, Death of England: Delroy, Maxx, Flack, The Current War, London Boulevard, Horrible Histories and Doctors.