Mark Farrelly’s celebrated show about writer Patrick Hamilton, The Silence of Snow, makes an appearance at this year’s Lambeth Fringe.
“The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton is a riveting, kinetic solo show which vividly portrays the life of one of the great English writers of the inter-war years. Patrick Hamilton (1904 – 1962) was a dazzling success whilst still in his 20s.
But he was also an alcoholic, whose wit became increasingly mordant as his inner and outer worlds collapsed. Set in an electro-therapy clinic in the 1950s, and covering the entire sweep of Hamilton’s turbulent life, The Silence of Snow has gripped audiences wherever it has been performed.
An arresting blend of original writing and extracts from Hamilton’s finest works, the play is a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of not confronting one’s own inner chaos. It is also a hugely witty and engaging tribute to a great English writer.”
Where: White Bear Theatre
When: 25-27 Oct
Ticket link: https://lambethfringe.com/events/the-silence-of-snow-the-life-of-patrick-hamilton
Mark tells us more.
What made you want to write about Patrick Hamilton? Why does he interest you?
His writing (novels like Hangover Square and plays such as Rope and Gaslight) is so powerful. It’s funny, tragic, and with a deep sympathy for the loner / outsider (which of course is all of us).
I was equally fascinated by his life: huge early success at a time when being ‘a famous writer’ was still a relatively new concept, continued success into the 1930s and 1940s, and all the while his great nemesis, alcoholism, creeping up on him.
It was an extraordinary life, and his struggles with mental health in the final years of his quite short life (he was dead at 58) break the heart.
On top of that, he is less well known now than some of his contemporaries, and I enjoy championing people who have slipped out of the public spotlight. They often have much to teach us.
Why should audiences choose to see your play and what might they expect?
They should choose it because it’s been performed all over the UK well over 100 times, most recently at Sadler’s Wells in London, and has a great track record.
They can expect a one-person, 70 minute whirlwind account of Patrick Hamilton’s whole life, with no fourth wall.
They can expect to hear some of Patrick Hamilton’s brilliant language, be made to laugh by his fabulous dry wit, and find a chance to self-reflect.
Do you find fringe theatre inspiring as a writer or performer?
I don’t really think about fringe, to me there is just theatre.
Arguably a smaller venue is best suited to solo plays, because it really helps the sense that performer and audience are having a conversation.
But generally I just love the freedom of theatre in any form, and the tremendous immediacy it has.
What’s next for the show?
I’ve been performing it for over a decade, and to my pleasant surprise, it’s currently enjoying one of its busiest years.
Straight after the Lambeth Fringe the show heads up to the Old Woollen in Leeds, then is off for a run of shows in Scotland.
The final performance this year will be at the Mercury in Colchester on Bonfire Night, and there will be more shows in 2026.