Val Visits The Richard III Burial Site and Museum - October 2018

In October Val visited Rutland as a guest of Schiller International University colleague Vicky Sanderlin-McLoughlin. She took Val to see the amazing burial site and museum which has been newly created for Richard III in Leicester. It was a great and fascinating visit.

The Bristol Old Vic Re-Opening - September 2018

In September Val visited Bristol to see LLC study abroad teacher Joanne Howarth perform the chorus in Henry V at The Tobacco Factory. It was the week that the Bristol Old Vic Theatre reopened its newly designed theatre and audience spaces. 

It was thrilling to see this successful new design, a theatre Val loves because the first public show Val staged was in the studio here. Val directed 'Magnificence' by Howard Brenton, in what is now The Weston Studio, while she was studying directing at the BOV School.

The Great Henge at Avebury - August 2018

In August Val visited The Great Henge at Avebury with her school friend Annabel Hosier. This was created over 5,000 years ago. This site is as fascinating as the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney where Val visited in September 2017 and previously Callanish in the Outer Hebrides.

The Unveiling of a Gravestone for William Blake - 12 August 2018

The unveiling of a 
gravestone for 
William Blake

The Live Literature Company's tribute to
William Blake

Val placed this sunflower on the gravestone with The Live Literature Company card inscribed with love from her and the company. Over many years LLC has staged important and memorable combined arts performances of William Blake's work often with celebrated performers.

Martineau Society Conference - 26 July 2018

Harriet Martineau Society
Conferencein London 2018

Picture of Matilda Thorpe on left and Catherine Harvey on right in the Dr. Williams's Library, Bloomsbury. They were performing a sketch Val wrote, 'Harriet Martineau & Charlotte Bronte: A Sketch of their Relationship'.

This was an after dinner entertainment for The Martineau Society conference. This was the first time Val had worked with Matilda since directing her as a student in 'Rosmersholm' at the then Central School of Speech & Drama. Val's sketch will be published in May 2020 on Amazon, ISBN number 979-8644014408.

English PEN event for Centenary of Nelson Mandela's birth - 17 July 2018

English PEN event for Centenary of Nelson Mandela's birth

Val was one of the people at this PEN event at which the prison letters of Nelson Mandela were read aloud to the audience. It was a deeply moving and profound evening.

The event marked the centenary of Nelson Mandela’s birth and the publication of The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela, published by Liveright. It was directed, produced and hosted by the acclaimed performer and director Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE.

A selection of Nelson Mandela’s letters were passionately read by a group of wonderful writers from the UK and South Africa, including Jay Bernard, Jackie Kay, Kwame Kwei-Armah, Ben Okri, Sahm Venter (editor of the book), Zoe Wicomb and Gary Younge. Award-winning composer Errollyn Wallen MBE performed a new piece of music inspired by the letters, composed especially for the event.

You can listen to this below.

Niagara at The Globe - June 2018

Val with Jimmy Garnon and the Niagara University
drama students 2018 at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre

Jimmy Garnon was one of the professors teaching the Niagara drama students this Summer and he was also performing at The Globe in As You Like It and Hamlet.

Chelsea Flower Show - 22 May 2018

The Yorkshire Garden at
Chelsea Flower Show

Val visits the Chelsea Flower Show every year and this Yorkshire garden reminded her of her visit to Yorkshire last Summer. With friends she visited The Hepworth Wakefield one of the great new arts centres there.

Kenwood Magnolia Tree - April 2018

Kenwood Magnolia Tree

Val goes every Spring to see this beautiful tree flower outside Kenwood House. One of the famous paintings in Kenwood House is on the front of the company card.

Shakespeare in the Abbey - 26 April 2018

Shakespeare in the Abbey

Val attended Shakespeare in the Abbey, run by Shakespeare's Globe Theatre at the end of April 2018. Mark Rylance spoke Sonnet 17 sotto voce about 2 inches away from Val's ear. This was a very enjoyable experience!

Mimi Doulton's Singing Recital - February 2018

Image above: Mimi Doulton 

Val attended her niece's contemporary music singing recital at the St George The Martyr Church in Borough. Her niece, Mimi Doulton graduates as an opera singer from the Guildhall School of Music this Summer 2018.

Val has been to this church before under very sad circumstances to attend the funeral of Sarah Wheeler, the founder of the Mental Fight Club which meets in the Crypt of this church. Sarah founded this wonderful group and had a great love of the work of William Blake. So many of us who have done work focused on Blake came to know her through this.

Val Relaxing at the Old Cataract Hotel - Aswan - December 2017

Val relaxing by the Nile at the Old Cataract Hotel, Aswan. There is a tribute here to famous Egyptian actor, Omar Sharif. Omar Sharif loved to visit this hotel.

Val At Cairo Opera House - December 2017

Val at the Saqqara Pyramids at the beginning of her visit to Egypt.

Photo of Val at Cairo Opera House in December 2017.

The Live Literature Company has been invited to perform in Egypt. Val visited there to do further research about a possible visit, and also travelled visiting the beautiful and fascinating historic sites in Egypt.

Lucy Casson, Live Lit Co Performer Welcomes New Baby, Ferdinand

Live Lit Co performer, Lucy Casson with her baby Ferdinand. Val and Lucy met up at the Young Vic with beautiful Ferdinand soon after he was born. Congratulations Lucy!

In Remembrance Recital At The National Portrait Gallery - November 2017

Cast photo from left to right Tessa Uys
(pianist) Nicholas Farrell, Jordan
Bunton-Williams, Seiriol Tomos.

The Live Literature Company cast for our performance at The National Portrait Gallery on Armistice Day commemorating World War 1. It was a very moving performance of a programme Val devised focusing on 'In Parenthesis' by David Jones. When we left the N.P.G. all of the bells from St. Martin-in-the-Fields were ringing out in commemoration.

Westend Extra Article on War Poets Recital at National Portrait Gallery - November 2017

Westend Extra article on our War Poets recital at the National Portrait Gallery, published first week of November 2017.

Radiophonic Workshop at The British Library - October 2017

Photo of some of the old Radiophonic Workshop team taken
at the Friday late at the British Library on October 13th 2017.

Val attended the Radiophonic Workshop at The British Library and was delighted to meet up with old colleagues from the workshop where she worked on attachment when she was a Studio Manager at the BBC.

Published article celebrates the Live Lit Co's 15th anniversary year - Sep 2017

Val has had her article published this month in the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institution Newsletter. The article celebrates the 15th Anniversary year of the Live Lit Co, honouring many of the LLC’s achievements over those years, and it also shows what we have been about and so much we can be proud of. 

Please do click on the following links to read page one and page two of the article. We hope you enjoy reading it!

The Westray Wife, Orkney Islands - August 2017

Westray Wife, Orkney

Details of the neolithic Westray Wife.

The Westray Wife, Scotland's earliest representation of a human form. After the Edinburgh Festival this August Val visited the beautiful and historic Orkney Islands.

Tracey Emin And William Blake, Liverpool - August 2017

Tracey Emin and William Blake exhibition at Tate Liverpool, which Val visited on the way to the Edinburgh Festival in August this year. It was great to meet up again with people Val met previously who work at Tate Liverpool. The Live Literature Company has staged much Blake work, so this exhibition was an important visit linked to our work. There was a fascinating voice tape with the exhibition which featured Liverpudlians talking about their response to, in particular, Tracey Emin's bed!