I observed to Mr. Johnson, he most resembled of all creatures the Elephant, whose trunk could, from its Force and Elasticity either arrest the Buffalo or pick up the Pin.

In return he observed to me, I most resembled the Rattlesnake. "Why?" said I. "Well", said he, "many have felt your Sting, few can resist your Attractions and all the World knows you have the Rattle!"

In 1765 Samuel Johnson, aged 56, mentally exhausted and physically chronically ill, is living in mean circumstances off Fleet Street among quarrelling dependants. One evening he is introduced by a friend, actor and playwright Arthur Murphy, to a wealthy brewer, Henry Thrale, and to his witty, highly educated, bored young wife Hester, "shut away from the world" says Johnson "like her husband's kept mistress."

The Thrales adopt Johnson as a house guest in their lovely home, Streatham Park in Surrey, where he enjoys their celebrated dinners - "pineapples, ices, creams and everything in silver plate!" In return Johnson improves the life of young Hester. He sets her to work on Latin translations, which she adores; he publishes a blackly humorous poem written by her, THE THREE WARNINGS, to be much anthologized in later years; he advises her on bringng up her children, and he encourages her to take an interest in Thrale's business affairs, which improves the relationship between husband and wife. He says to her "The time passes merrily away, with your scolding me and with my scolding you. But look how it answers - for see, how we both improve!"

When Thrale dies and Hester falls passionately in love with Gabriel Piozzi, an Italian musician, society is shocked and Johnson never forgives her. He dies soon after. The Piozzis live happily in Wales for the next twenty years and Hester writes and publishes several books. She will always remember Johnson with affection and gratitude and drinks his health each year on his birthday.

This is a period costumed, two-handed production, with Karin Fernald and Bruce Purchase. The script by Karin Fernald is based on Hester's journal THRALIANA and on the journals of Fanny Burney; and includes poems by Johnson.

The running time for this show is seventy five minutes.

It has been presented at the National Portrait Gallery, London, Dr. Johnson's House, Gough Square and at Brynbella, the Piozzis' home in North Wales.

"SPELL-BINDING" Irving Wardle

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There is also a dramatized lecture "The Rattlesnake and the Elephant" by Karin on the same subject, with slides of paintings, portraits and caricatures by Hogarth, Rowlandson, Reynolds, Richard Wilson, Francis Hayman and George Morland.

This has been presented at numerous branches of NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies) and at festivals including the Cheltenham Literary Festival where it was described as "A TOUR DE FORCE" Cheltenham Festival

Karin has written and presented a talk on Mrs. Thrale's later life; "Mrs. Piozzi and the Millenium". This talk has been presented at the National Portrait Gallery and to the Johnson Society of London. It has been published in the "New Rambler". She is currently writing another one on Mrs Piozzi's life in Bath, to be entitled "Bath Cat" which will be given to the Johnson Society of London in early 2008.