Imagine this: The year is 1963 and C.S. Lewis, the famous British author, is hosting a group of American writers at his home near Oxford. They are about to experience a captivating evening with a man whose engaging conversation and spontaneous humor made him one of the great raconteurs of his day.
Seated in his living room and he recalls the people and events that inspired his thought and shaped his life; of his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien; why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles; how he came to embrace Christianity and of the American woman who turned his life upside down.
Described by critics as ‘Extraordinary!’ ‘A Must See!’ ‘A Master Class!’ An Evening with C.S. Lewis has proved again and again to be an enthralling theatrical experience and one which has led many thousands to discover (or rediscover) the continuing impact of a man who died over 50 years ago and whose collected works made him one of the literary giants of the 20th Century.
About David Payne, the actor: “Never in a million years did I think I would ever be a performer on stage,” he says from his dressing room in Chicago’s Broadway Theatre. “And never did I think that I would enjoy it so very, very much.”
There almost seems to be a magical connection between Payne and his audiences. Throughout the entire 90 minutes, audience members feel as if they’re in the presence of the great author, scholar, and humorist as Payne completely embodies the role. During the performance, you can hear a pin drop in between all the infectious laughter and the occasional sob coming from the audience and at the end, the result is almost always the same… an instantaneous standing ovation. He has made audiences all over the world fall in love with one of the most enduring and endearing characters in all of literature.
