The Spoken Word: Stevie Smith

Stevie Smith (1902–1971) was an English poet and novelist and a consummately dark craftsman who believed only she could do justice to a performance of her own work, and capture the qualities of humor and irony at hand in her witty, wry, and often disturbing poems. This compact disc boasts a tremendous collection of over fifty poems and songs recorded for the BBC, dating from the period of 1956 to 1968, and including several of Smith’s most adored titles, including “Not Waving but Drowning,” “Thoughts about the Person from Porlock,” and “Do Take Muriel Out.” Also included are excerpts of an older Smith in conversation, in an interview entitled, “Longing for Death because of Feebleness.” Another highlight of the collection is a complete live performance from the 1965 Edinburgh Festival, including material not broadcast at the time: a perfect introduction to the mature Smith at the height of her powers, as she holds her audience spellbound with her caustic and deliberate delivery.