Posting Letters to the Moon
Review by Martine Silkstone
When I first met my husband, many years ago, he lived two counties and an hour away. As we got to know each other, he would occasionally send me letters to bridge the gap between dates - such a touching gesture and to this day, it warms my heart to read them.
Now, that sounds very romantic, right? Old-school you might say.
Well, instead of a young writer and print salesman, and instead of the wilds of Norfolk and Essex, imagine a famous actress and her spy husband, separated by war and whole continents, yet showing their enduring love over the years via hundreds of handwritten letters.
At its core is that same old-school romance - the same humour, passion, longing and trials of daily life - but with a rather more glamorous and historically interesting background it is fair to say!
In fact, it’s the stuff of great movies.
And that is the wonderful, real-life correspondence being shared in the touring production, Posting Letters to the Moon, which played The Quay Theatre in Sudbury this week.
Featuring readings of the wartime letters between the Oscar-nominated actress, Celia Johnson (Brief Encounter) and her husband, Peter Fleming (brother of Ian), who worked in military intelligence, the show is funny, warm and charming in its simplicity.
Through their words, we are transported into the past; given a privileged glimpse of the hardship experienced and courage required on both sides as they faced months apart and the many horrors of war. There are tales of rationing and cooking failures, battles and deception, brief encounters and, of course, Celia’s time filming with Noel Coward.
As if that wasn’t enough, the overall effect is made even more emotive as the performers on stage are Lucy Fleming, their daughter, and her husband Simon Williams (both known for roles in The Archers). With their innate warmth and humour they bring the letters to life, and draw you in to their family drama with a gentle affection that entertains while honouring the memory of our two protagonists.
It’s a wonderfully engaging insight into their lives and that difficult period of time, complete with era-appropriate musical accompaniment and a variety of old photos to set the scene.
What a truly beautiful piece of theatre.
Indeed, the aforementioned husband and I were completely charmed by the performance. So much so, that I hope he is inspired to write a love letter once more…
Posting Letters to the Moon was at The Quay Theatre in Sudbury.
Find details of the full UK tour HERE.