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DANCING THE IMPOSSIBLELeo Aylen, Poet actor and film maker, on 15 October 2002Leo Aylen was born in Kwazulu, South Africa. He is just completing a Royal Literary Fund Fellowship at Bath University. He performs and writes for the BBC and ITV and has just co-written the script for a film `Gods and Generals'. His recent books include `Dancing the Impossible' and `Rhymocerous', a children's book of poetry. His recitation at this meeting is best summarised by two of his poems.
Discussion In the discussion Leo revealed that his prolific writing and wide subject matter were a reflection of everyday experiences in his childhood in Africa and world-wide travels, including in Britain and America. He also told us that his classical background at Oxford, and his love of serious music, particularly Bach, were not lying fallow as with so many academics, but continuously used in the creative process. He mentioned Pasternak as an example of a poet with a musical and philosophical background. In this respect it was interesting that his poetry was modern and romantic rather than classical or Baroque. Leo's father was a missionary, his mother an actress; both read aloud to him as a child. He discussed his friendship with Mangosuthu Buthelezi and his hostility to apartheid. His main literary influences were Sophocles, Shakespeare and Chaucer. He stated that the origin of his poems was life experience and visual serendipity, and that he wanted them to be seen as theatre. The audience very much enjoyed this meeting; some saying it was the best of the year. The convener noted that performance and original creative work was more valued by members than academic discussion. Peter Valentine |
