Following rave reviews and packed houses for its 2009 tour, Edinburgh-based theatre company Magnetic North is bringing its acclaimed one-man adaptation of Walden to Milford Haven’s Torch Theatre.

On July 4th, 1854, 27-year-old Henry David Thoreau walked into the woods near his hometown of Concord, Massachusetts, and decided to stay. For 26 months he lived alone in a hut he built on the shores of Walden Pond and attempted to survive entirely by his own resources.

Based on Thoreau’s account, Walden is an intimate, humorous and thoughtful piece of theatre which explores self-sufficiency, the individual’s relationship with their environment and the desire ‘not to live cheaply or dearly but to live deliberately’— ideas as vital today as they were 155 years ago.

Walden is a collaboration between Magnetic North’s artistic director Nicholas Bone, environmental artists Sans façon and actor Cameron Mowat.

Cameron said: “I was excited by the challenge and adventure of performing in a one-man show. I obviously enjoy performing with others too, but as an actor, I want to try myself in all different types of plays and characters.”

The intimate ‘in the round’ setting for this show limits the seating capacity to 40, providing an unforgettable theatrical experience.

Cameron added: “By having 40 people around me within a close space I really feel I can connect with them in a conversational and informal manner. By not having to ‘perform big’ to reach the back of the stalls, I can really convey the psychological and quieter parts of the character.”

Suitable for ages 14 and over, Walden is being performed at the Torch Theatre tonight (Monday) at 8pm.

  • Since the above article appeared in the Western Telegraph, Walden has sold out. If you are going to see the show, leave your comments below.

Picture by Maria Falconer.