Is there no one who is commonplace here? Is everybody either a poet, or a genius, or a painter, or peculiar in some way? Anne Thackeray (1837-1919)

The Shoestring players present ‘Julia Margaret Cameron and the Freshwater Circle’ a kaleidoscopic dip into a few of the riches inspired by the Island, to paint a picture in words (poetry, prose, letters, drama and song) of the Victorian worthies, entertained at Julia Margaret Cameron’s salon parties at her home Dimbola.

The Island has an astonishing wealth of literature, including prose, plays, poetry, song lyrics, political pronouncements, and philosophy. Indeed, in the 19th century, the Isle of Wight was considered the hub of the literary and artistic world. One of the main spokes of this hub, as a result of the Tennysons at Farringford, was Freshwater. The Freshwater Circle, as it became known, included one of the most famous photographers of the day, Julia Margaret Cameron (the Tennysons’ next door neighbour), artist & sculptor, G. F. Watts, painter William Holman Hunt, the actress Ellen Terry, Charles Darwin, Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll.

Refreshments will be available from the Dimbola Tea Room before the performance. Tickets are £5 and can be booked by coming in to Dimbola or phoning us on 756814.

This event is part of the 'Out of the Shadows' festival programme of special events taking place this Autumn at Dimbola visit http://www.dimbola.co.uk/whats-on/ for further information.