Love a Good Play: Letters Live 2015

Freemasons Hall London, April 2, 2015

What a treat. What a priviledge it feels to have been part of this evening. Letters Live was born from the website and then the book Letters of Note. I discovered it through Twitter and a retweet of Caitlin Moran’s. I followed and I was smitten. This is the live version.

I’ll admit I had no idea what to expect from an evening of famous people reading letters and correspondance from across the ages. And it was an utter delight.

An array of wonderful actors through themselves completely into the correspondance of others bringing them to life, bringing humanity to the most desperate of situations and bringing humour…so much humour.

My favourite letter of the evening? Probably that of Clementine Churchill in response to a column in a newspaper arguing that women shouldnt be allowed to vote as they are too weak… Beautifully read by Sophie Hunter.

I was moved to tears by Ian McKellan’s reading of Mouse’s letter to his mother from Tales of the City… It reminded me of reading that series so long ago and how much I love Maupin’s writing.

And a special place must go to Joss Ackland who gave us two renditions of Romeo’s balcony speech and a monumentally moving letter that he wrote to his future wife.

Beyond all expectation. A truly outstanding evening. 6/5