Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel
A one-woman play with music created by Lucy Stevens
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel weaves the life of Virginia Woolf, as expressed in her own words, with music and songs by female composers who were her contemporaries – much of which is out of print and rarely performed.
Through Woolf’s writing, it reveals her troubled childhood and her views on literature, Bloomsbury and the challenges women face as artists.
‘Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel’ is the latest collaboration between professional actor and classical singer, Lucy Stevens and pianist Elizabeth Marcus, a Fellow and Professor of Harpsichord at Guildhall School of Music. Following their previous acclaimed plays about women in music:
‘Ethel Smyth: Grasp the Nettle’ Superb acting and vocal performances … Funny, touching and uplifting – A must see!” Light Music Society.
‘Kathleen Ferrier Whattalife!’ “ … superbly gifted, Lucy Stevens, with a voice of this calibre, it would be easy for a singer to indulge, but Whattalife! is a seamless balance of speech and music”. localsecrets.com.
Being Human Festival 2019
Audience responses to performed excerpts on 20 November 2019 in the Shaw Library, London School of Economics.
Laura Doddington Photography
Performance Diary – Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel – 2021
2021
July
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Sat 3 – London Song Festival 2pm Hinde Street Methodist Church, London WIU 2QJ
Virginia Woolf: an illustrated talk with songs Wed 8 London School of Economics from The Shaw Library. An online event. Tickets
Virginia Woolf: an illustrated talk with songs Thurs 15 Deal Music Arts Festival 2021
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Thurs 15 Deal Music Arts Festival 2021 East Kent.
Virginia Woolf: an illustrated talk with songs Thurs 22 1pm Hitchin Arts Festival 2021 St Mary’s Church, Hitchin.
October
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Thurs 14 – Theatre Royal Winchester, Jewry Street, Winchester SO23 8SB
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Sun 24 3pm Blackheath Halls The Great Hall, 23 Lee Road, Blackheath, London SE3 9RQ
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Sat 30 – Lighthouse 21 Kingsland Road, Poole, Dorset BH15 1UG
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Sun 31 – Dorchester Corn Exchange, High East St, Dorset DT1 1HF
November
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Wed 24 – The Guildhall Arts Center, Grantham, St Peter’s Hill NG31
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel Thurs 25 – Louth Riverhead Theatre, Victoria Road, Louth, LN11
Past Performances 2020
Virginia Woolf: Killing the Angel
October 24 & 25 – Bloomsbury Festival – Holy Cross Church, London WC1 “I’m buzzing after seeing Lucy Stevens new play #KillingtheAngel. The script is entirely extracted from Virginia Woolf’s novels, essays & life writing, with insight into Woolf’s groundbreaking feminist work in the context of her patriarchal upbringing. Don’t miss this!!!” Lana Bode
March 15 – North London Lauderdale House, Highgate Hill, London “This was such a great show Lucy Stevens amazing performance as Virginia Woolf and well deserved standing ovation at Lauderdale House” Mrs Shaw Herself
March – Stamford Arts Centre St Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincs. “Dramatic and informative telling of this compelling story. The music included a wide variety of songs, Lucy with a warm, rich contralto voice and even an extract from Beethoven’s opus 111 piano sonata, beautifully played by Liz Marcus. I came away with new insights into the complex character of one of our literary greats and enthused to read and learn more”. Martin Fellows
March – Redbridge Drama Centre, East London “A stunning piece of research, writing, acting singing and production – and unearthing some little known aspects of VW’s life. A valuable contribution. Brava” Janet Gibson, Convenor of the Opera All Party Parliamentary Group
Contact – information and bookings
Penny Mayes (producer) penny@dramatic-solutions.co.uk call +44 7790 456169
Lucy Stevens www.lucystevens.com
