Today’s poetry news roundup takes a look at the musical based on poetry, the winner of this years Rabindranath Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony and the poetry-related tourist attractions have made the 2018 top places to visit in the UK list.

The Musical of Homer’s Odyssey

Homer’s Odyssey is well known all over the world, but perhaps the idea of hearing it in musical form might be a little bit bemusing to many. Although, it certainly wouldn’t be the first time that poetry has been turned into a musical – take for example Cats by T.S Eliot.

Homer’s Odyssey the musical is being performed as part of the Adelaide Fringe, and will be open to the public on 8^th and 9^th March at Adina Treasury Tunnels. With their aged stone walls and somewhat crumbling stucco, the tunnels offer a very authentic backdrop to the musical. You could almost imagine yourself in a Mycenaean palace in the cellars.

Loucas Loizou, who plays the Greek hero Odysseus, manages to condense what is around 20 years of stories into a run time of just 57 minutes. The songs are a mixture of guitar accompanied originals such as a farewell song of love to Circe. There are also a number of songs that might seem a little out of place such as “We Shall Overcome” that are in fact greeted with rapport from the audience.

This is a real mixture of a show with a lively story and plenty of songs. It is perhaps lacking a little sharpness in the script, but it is well worth taking a look at for visitors to the fringe this year.

Chhayanaut Receives Rabindranath Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony

The award was presented by the Indian President Ramnath Kovind. Chhayanaut is the leading cultural outfit in Bangladesh.

The award, which began in 2012, is awarded on an annual basis and carries a cash prize, together with a citation on a scroll and a plaque. It is named for the poet Rabindranath Tagore, in recognition of his many contributions to society through his works and ideas. 2012 marked the 150^th birth anniversary of the poet and the award was conceived as a way of marking the occasion.

Chhayanaut has been around since 1961. It came into being at a time when Pakistan was trying to gain control and bring order to the literature and art of the Bangalis.

Poet Related Museums Make UK Top Tourist Attractions List

It”s no secret that over recent years poetry has been increasing in popularity. This i, of course,e due in part to the rise of the insta-poet. Now the list of 2018 Attractions Accolades published by VisitEngland, the official tourist board for England shows several poet related attractions have met the criteria for providing a quality visitor experience. This year a total of 76 attractions have made the list.

A museum in the East Midlands that is dedicated to D.H. Lawrence, the writer and poet has made the list, as has the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre which has been voted on of the South Easts best attractions. The later has individual rooms dedicated to a number of Dahl’s children’s stories where young minds can run wild in the wacky worlds that the author created.