On Hydra they find inspiring scenery, a warm climate, delicious food and cheap housing. Oh, and lots of wine. The scene is set for people behaving badly. All that is required is a match to light the fuse. As Charmian and George fight (he’s battling TB and both of them drink too much every night, leaving their kids to run amok), another marriage is in tatters - that of Norwegian enfant terrible, Axel Jenson and his stunningly beautiful wife, Marianne Ihlen. Enter twenty-five-year-old Leonard Cohen, and sparks fly.
Witnessing all of this is young Erika, the novel’s heroine. She’s also fresh off the boat, accompanied by her brother Bobby and her boyfriend Jimmy, both friends who met at art school. Still grieving the death of her mother, Erika spends time with Charmian, a former neighbour and family friend. Charmian tells her a few home truths about living with artists, and advises her to find her own path in life and not to saddle herself with a man too soon.
The book captures the era wonderfully. It’s the early days of the counter-culture, the lead-up to the swinging sixties, while feminism waits in the wings. And while it is the story of artists at play, falling in and out of love, testing the boundaries of social norms, Samson also recreates Hydra - the heat and the shimmering sea, the flavours and smells - so you can just imagine you are there.
A Theatre for Dreamers is an engrossing read, peppered with personalities, including New Zealand writer, Bim Wallis (not the most flattering picture). It's well-researched, the characters vivid on the page, though it is Erika who I connected with most. Her youth and open-heartedness encourage confidences and friendships.
A fascinating piece of social history, this novel is beautifully written and will transport you to another time and place. Recommended.
Posted by JAM
Catalogue link: A Theatre for Dreamers
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