Andrea spreads out before us the life and times of George Forster, who journeyed to the far reaches of the known world, and whose radical ideas about humanity, equality and freedom challenged the worldviews of eighteenth-century Europe. He joined Cook’s second voyage at the age of seventeen, an exploration of vast contrasts from the icy world of Antarctica to tropical islands of the South Pacific. Studying the diverse nature, peoples and cultures he encountered, he came back imbued with a deep belief in the equality of races, an understanding far ahead of his time. On his return he was feted in England, France, Germany and Poland, using his fame to advocate for freedom and women’s rights and against empire, racism and slavery.
Andrea Wulf
The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and his Search for Humanity
Dates, times & booking
- Mon 20 Jul 2026 4.00pm - 5.00pm
Friends get priority booking on a staggered basis
About Friends Priority Booking
About Friends Priority Booking
Priority Booking
for BIF Friends
To book seats early, join the Friends of Buxton International Festival and become part of our ‘Festival Family’
Tickets are now on sale for La traviata, The Merry Widow and the Jazz Weekender
All other events are on general sale from 14 April 2026
Priority dates are:
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24 March – Patrons
31 March – Gold Friends
7 April – Friends
14 April – Public and Next Gen
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