Vita and Virginia play at the 2024 summer course
Vita and Virginia by Eileen Atkins
(abridged by NKP Theatre Company)
We are delighted to announce that NKP Theatre Company will bring their abridged version of Vita and Virginia by Eileen Atkins to this year’s Virginia Woolf Summer Course. A rare chance to see this fascinating, often moving interpretation of the relationship between Woolf and her sometime lover and lifelong friend, Vita Sackville-West. The play is free for members of the summer course. A small number of extra tickets will be available for sale from NKP. Further information about the extra tickets here.
Vita and Virginia
Virginia Woolf meets fellow author Vita Sackville-West in London in the 1920s. They embark on a 20-year relationship that inspires one of Virginia's most famous novels, Orlando (1928).
Abridged by the cast from the original play by Eileen Atkins, Vita and Virginia consists entirely of words spoken or written by Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf during their 20-year friendship.
The production deftly brings to life the real letters and diaries of the two women, revealing deep friendship, wit and passion between the literary genius and the aristocratic yet middle-brow poet.
‘A beautifully sensitive portrayal of a remarkable love story.’
Claire Nicholson, Chair of the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain
Vita Sackville-West: Emma Francis
Virginia Woolf: Ruth Cattell
The play lasts for 60 minutes with no interval.
NKP is the only theatre group in the world to be performing this abridged version of the play.
Directed and produced by Richard Delahaye
Background Information from NKP Theatre Company
Where did it begin?
In 2019 we discovered the play by Eileen Atkins, which tells how Virginia Woolf met fellow author Vita Sackville-West in London in the 1920s, beginning a 20-year relationship which inspired one of Woolf's most famous novels, Orlando.
Written in 1992, using letters and phone conversations between the two married women, plus diary entries, it takes the audience through their evolving relationship from flirtation, infatuation, passion, deep love, jealousy, to, in the end, enduring friendship.
We decided to create a 60-minute version. Vita and Virginia is a beautifully crafted play consisting entirely of words that were actually written or spoken by Vita and Virginia, so we were very mindful of the flow of the original version when proposing the cuts.
People know Virginia Woolf suffered from mental health issues and drowned herself. But there is so much more to her life and work. Eileen Atkins’ play explores her wit, vulnerability, tendency towards snobbery, jealousy and deep feelings for Vita, and also her profound love for her husband Leonard. To communicate all of that within just 60 minutes was no mean feat!
What happened next?
We proposed the cuts, received full approval from Eileen Atkins, entered it into various theatre festivals in 2021, received some wonderful scores and comments, and then performed it to the Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain in May 2023 where it was very well received.
We then took it to the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2023, and based on its success, we're currently touring it in the UK.
Initially directed by Roger Seabury, our abridged version of Vita and Virginia was re-worked by Richard Delahaye to be suitable for The Edinburgh Fringe and other intimate settings. This amateur production of Vita and Virginia is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
Website and social media
www.newkinverplayers.org.uk/vita-and-virginia for the background information and reviews
Twitter: @NKPTheatre
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