CS LEWIS: THE POET
‘I can’t recommend Lex Loizides and John Carson’s performance too highly. They held everyone spellbound…One of the best events we’ve had in the past ten years…’
Ranald Macaulay, Leader, L’abri, and Founder, Christian Heritage UK
‘From the age of sixteen onwards I had one single ambition, from which I never wavered, in the prosecution of which I spent every ounce I could, on which I really and deliberately staked my whole contentment…’
In November 2013, the Irish-born author CS Lewis was honoured with a memorial stone in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. He joined other great poets like Shakespeare, Spenser, Milton and Wordsworth.
As an aspiring young poet, Lewis would have considered this a high honour.
Those who preceded him from among his contemporaries include WH Auden, TS Eliot and John Betjeman. Lewis has finally joined them in Poets’ Corner.
Lewis the Poet?
Yet to the general reader CS Lewis is not remembered for poetry but for his religious writing and for the best-selling series of children’s fantasy novels, The Chronicles of Narnia.
And few people know that Lewis’s publishing career began with two volumes of poetry. His first love was poetry and he himself became a passionate, rigourous, zealous poet. His primary literary ambition was to be known as a poet. But it was not to be…
In this lively presentation Lex Loizides takes us on a biographical journey from Lewis’s early failed ambitions as a poet into some of his most beautiful and touching later poetry. The presentation features the stunning reading skills of British actor John Carson.
Lewis fans will be introduced to a genre of Lewis’s writing they may have never encountered before. The audience will experience, through the poems, Lewis’s literary struggles, his romantic loves and losses, and hear of the supreme joy he finally found.
Previous performances
“A wonderful event! The selection of CS Lewis’s work, the superb delivery of the material as well as the unfolding story of his spiritual journey was all very powerful…most compelling.”
Martin Lown, Director, Christian Heritage UK, Cambridge
“I was so surprised to see how Lex was able to combine the drama of Lewis’ personal history, and the beauty of the poetic word with sheer relaxing fun! Carson is a great performer, Loizides has a way with words.”
Dr. Dirk Jongkind, Research Fellow in New Testament Text and Language, St. Edmund’s College, University of Cambridge
“I so enjoyed the evening! It was beautifully presented, and most interesting.” Priscilla Hutchinson, Norwich, UK
‘I can’t recommend Lex Loizides and John Carson’s performance too highly. They captured the essence of the subject (C S Lewis’ poetry) and held everyone spellbound. I think it was one of the best events we’ve had in the past ten years…’ Ranald Macaulay, Leader, L’abri, and Founder, Christian Heritage UK
John Carson is a well-known British actor who has made over 320 film and television appearances. He has starred as both the silky voiced villain and the dashing hero. He has worked with many major cinema stars and has a significant cult following in the UK. He played Mr. Knightly in the BBC’s production of Emma.
He is married to Sam, who is a best selling author and scriptwriter. They have lived in South Africa, France and are currently based in England.
Lex Loizides has been reading, writing and enjoying poetry for nearly 40 years. He is the author of two books and is on the teaching staff at the multi-racial Jubilee Community Church in Cape Town. His songs and hymns have been published and released on recordings as diverse as rocky modern worship compilations, Salvation Army brass band albums, and one of his hymns was featured in a 2010 recording by the Prague Symphony Orchestra. He is married to Jo and they have four children.
John and Lex have collaborated on seven literary events in Oxford, Cambridge and Cape Town, bringing not only reasoned argument but entertainment in what may be described as ‘performance-lectures’.
The CS Lewis lecture/performance has been slightly updated but the first recording is available to hear or download here
You can find out about their other major presentation The Poets’ Question here.
© 2013 Church History blog
Church History Review 
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