Stroud Arts Festival 80th CelebrationRed Sky at Sunrise – Laurie Lee in Words and Music Anton Lesser stars in Lee’s extraordinary story, from Cider with Rosie to the Spanish Civil WarIn a captivating weave of music and Lee’s own writing, Red Sky at Sunrise follows Laurie Lee through his much-loved Cider with Rosie trilogy, when he famously walked out of the Slad valley one summer morning, to end up fighting with the International Brigades against Franco’s forces in Spain. Anton Lesser (Endeavour, Wolf Hall, Andor) and Charlie Hamblett (SAS Rogue Heroes, Killing Eve, Missing You) play the role of Laurie Lee older and younger, along with a rich array of other characters. They celebrate Lee’s engaging humour, as well as his darker side, in a performance that has startling resonance with modern events, on the eve of this 90th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.’Breathtaking music’, performed by an ensemble from Orchestra of the Swan, illuminates Lee’s writing, transporting us from the lush Gloucestershire countryside of Cider With Rosie, to the landscapes of Spain, through the music of Britten, Holst, Elgar, Turina, Albeniz and Falla, featuring solo Spanish guitarist Mark Ashford.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Superb’ – Broadway World ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Spellbinding – a triumph’ Oxford Mail ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The fusion of Lee’s writing and musical arrangements work to perfection’ – British Theatre Guide