An Actor Convalescing in Devon

Book excerpt: He told me about some bloke who was sick and then got well - by placing a poem by William Blake in his shirt pocket . . . Heading for the West Country by train, an actor takes the scenic route from Waterloo to spend a weekend with an old friend. He recalls staying there one summer with his late partner Michael, another actor. Glad to be alive but uncertain of his future, he shares stories and his thoughts about Shakespeare, friends, his career and the trials of his own health. Richard Nelson's funny and compelling monologue opened at Hampstead Theatre, London, in March 2024.