About

Join us at Books on the Rise for an evening of conversation and poetry with actor Nathaniel Parker

Actor Nathaniel Parker is best known for playing the title role in the long-running BBC One detective series Inspector Lynley (2001-2008) and Henry VIII in the acclaimed stage adaptations of Wolf Hall, Bring up the Bodies and The Mirror and the Light.

But not many people know that away from the camera, he's a huge poetry fan and has put on a one-man show dedicated to one of his literary heroes, T.S Eliot, best known for The Waste Land, widely regarded as one of the most important poems of the 20th century.

In a night of conversation and poetry, journalist York Membery will talk to Nat about some of his best-known roles and ask him why poetry is so important in his life. He will also recite some of his favourite poems.

The award-winning actor's other theatre work includes playing Gordon Brown in The Audience and former House of Commons speaker Jack Weatherill in James Graham's This House. He's also co-starred with Dustin Hoffman on Broadway.

Among his many other TV roles are Harold Skimpole in the BAFTA-winning BBC dramatisation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House and Albert Speer in the BBC production, Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial.

It promises to be a very special night, and who knows, if you're lucky Nat might even read one of your favourite poems?