Theatre: Vanessa and Virginia

Vanessa and Virginia
Venue: Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
Running until 14 April (Tuesdays – Sundays)
Tickets £15 (£12 concessions)

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Susan Sellers, Vanessa & Virginia, opens at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith following its European tour.

The play, written by Elizabeth Wright, charts the relationship of sisters Vanessa Bell (Kitty Randle) and Virginia Woolf (Alice Frankham) from the nursery to the grave. Although the biographies of these sisters are remarkable, their humanity is emphasised by concentrating solely on their sibling relationship. Vanessa is our narrator, which although surprising at first, works to both offer a new perspective on the life of Virginia and also highlights the captivating story of the lesser known sister.

Charting forty years, ending at the point of Virginia's suicide, the play chronicles the births, deaths, marriages and affairs that occur throughout the lives of these women. In the post-show discussion with the artistic team, novelist and playwright, Wright acknowledged the process of focusing solely on the sisters' relationship with each other as inevitably lead to a condensing of periphery figures and story lines. This is the reasoning behind only a fleeting mention of Vita, with no allusion to her relationship with Virginia. Although some may be disappointed that the lesbian relationship is beyond the realm of this production, it ensures that Virginia's story does not subsume her sisters and stops this production from becoming merely a play about Virginia Woolf.

The performances are both captivating and convincing, particularly Randle, who almost ages before the audience's eyes during the 90 minute piece. The original score compliments the dramatic text without feeling overpowering; the scenography is spectacular drawing the audience into the story from the minute they enter the space. It is clear that this performance has been drawn together with a careful, light touch by director Emma Gersch to ensure that the show does not descend into melodrama – a risk with such a dramatic subject. If the purpose of theatre is to tell stories in a new, engaging way, the team behind Vanessa & Virginia have certainly managed this and I would wholeheartedly recommend this production to anyone who wants to spend an evening at the theatre.

Sarah