THE life of a much-loved poet is celebrated in a one-man show starring BAFTA award winner Edward Fox.

Sand in the Sandwiches at Salisbury Playhouse explores the life of John Betjeman.

Fox explains: “It is called a celebration of John Betjeman and it takes his life in fragmentary form from his childhood through to his older age and his thoughts of what may come after his older age.

"It is a selection of his poems which accompany the story of his childhood and with the poems and prose that he wrote along the way. It is the life of a great, great artist.”

Sand in the Sandwiches is written by Hugh Whitemore and directed by Gareth Armstrong “I have been friends with and worked with Hugh Whitemore, the writer, for many years, and he had the idea originally for this show and wanted me to do it and I liked it very much. That is how it happened really,” says Fox.

The show has proved popular with audiences with tickets selling out and an extra matinée performance has been added to satisfy demand.

Fox says he is very much looking forward to coming back to the city, adding: “I was in Salisbury first off 56 years ago when it was a small theatre run by a very wonderful man called Reginald Salberg. I am very much [looking forward to coming back].”

Fox’s credits include the Oscar winning Ghandi, The Day of the Jackal, A Bridge Too Far, Oh! What a Lovely War, The Dresser, The GoBetween, A Doll’s House, Pride and Prejudice, Robin Hood, Nicholas Nickleby, Force 10 from Navarone and James Bond’s Never Say Never Again. His film credits have won him two BAFTA Awards and in 2003 he was awarded an OBE for his contribution to stage and cinema.

When asked about his career highlights, he admits: “The jobs themselves they fade into the past somehow but the people you have been with and the work you have done together with people is always what remains in my mind.”

Sand in the Sandwiches runs from Monday to Wednesday in the Main House. Tickets are available for the matinée performance on Tuesday, 2.15pm. 

For tickets call 01722 320 333 or go to salisburyplayhouse.com