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Poet to Merchant: Rimbaud's Radical Life Shift
17 Aug
Summary
- Actor Blake Draper portrays poet Arthur Rimbaud in a one-man show.
- The performance tracks Rimbaud's shift from acclaimed poet to merchant.
- The play explores Rimbaud's unconventional relationship with Paul Verlaine.
The theatrical production, presented as a microbudget epic, centers on the eventful life of the poet Arthur Rimbaud. Australian actor Blake Draper delivers a committed one-man performance, portraying Rimbaud from his youth as an "enfant terrible" of poetry to his later career as a merchant.
Draper's portrayal captures Rimbaud's youthful exuberance and his passionate, transgressive relationship with fellow poet Paul Verlaine. The performance then shifts to depict Rimbaud's surprising transition away from poetry and amours.
The second act of his life sees Rimbaud embark on a demanding new career as an export merchant in Africa and Cyprus. This shift is pursued with a vigorous competence that was not evident in his earlier artistic life, leaving audiences to ponder the motivations behind such a radical change.
