Review: POSTING LETTERS TO THE MOON is Engaging at 59E59 Theaters

Posting Letters to the Moon is now making its U.S. premiere at 59E59 Theaters. The show features correspondences written during WWII by British actress, Celia Johnson and her husband, writer Peter Fleming. Their beautifully written letters to each other are full of affection, longing, honesty, and humor. Their daughter, Lucy Fleming who stars in the two-hander alongside her husband, Simon Williams compiled the letters. Posting Letters to the Moon is part of the Brits Off Broadway festival of productions that showcases plays from across the pond. Metro area audiences will relish the opportunity to see this show that is an insight into the lives of two very interesting people and a reflection of the times.

WWII affected the Britain for over five years. During this time, Celia Johnson, an accomplished actress, maintained her theatre and movie career in England while Peter Fleming was stationed in the Far East. The couple regularly exchanged letters about their day-to-day lives and responsibilities. Celia told of her challenges with cooking, work as an auxiliary policewoman, stories of their young son, Nicholas, and the movies she was making with Noel Coward. Peter, who worked in intelligence, could not write the details of his assignments, yet gave spirited descriptions of his surroundings and colleagues. The title of the show is clever and revealing. In one of her letters, Celia Johnson expressed her frustration for the long delivery time of the mail and said it was like "posting letters to the moon."

Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams' performance is splendid. They capture the genuine feeling of the letters and provide an informative narrative to round out the story. There are also projections that add to personal and historical moments.

Posting Letters to the Moon is performed in Theater C at at 59E59 Theaters, the ideal, intimate space for the production. The show was created by Simon Williams and Lucy Fleming. The original music and sound is by Simon Slater. The AEA Stage Manage is Jynelly Rosario.

In his introduction, Simon Williams points out that letter writing is a dying art in contemporary times. We are so glad that the engaging correspondences between Celia Johnson and Peter Fleming are being shared. See this entertaining presentation while you can.

Posting Letters to the Moon is produced by Jermyn Street Theatre in association with Lucy Fleming. The show runs for 1 hour and 20 minutes with no intermission. It is being performed at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park & Madison Avenues) for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 2. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Friday at 7:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM; and Sunday at 2:30 PM. To purchase tickets, call the 59E59 Box Office at 646-892-7999 or https://www.59e59.org/ For further dates and venues, please visit: www.postingletterstothemoon.com.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

To post a comment, you must register and login.