Review - Vita & Virginia: Mad About The Girl

It took barely a sip of post-theatre cocktail for one of my companions to breathe a mournful sigh in memory of the lost art of letter writing. I imagine this was not the first time such sentiments were expressed following a performance of Vita & Virginia, Eileen Atkins' cerebrally romantic stage piece crafted from nearly 20 years of correspondence between the celebrated Virginia Woolf the her less-remembered fellow Bloomsburyist Vita Sackville-West which began scantly after their first introduction in 1922.

In a new Monday-nights-only production playing at The Zipper Factory, which Pamela Berlin directs with thoughtful elegance, Kathleen Chalfant (Woolf) and Patricia Elliot (Sackville-West) grace their words with intelligence, nervous flirtatiousness and the sublime romance that grows from devoted friendship.

On first meeting, Vita Sackville-West was so well known in their circles for being "a pronounced Sapphist" (sexual exclusivity wasn't big among London's bohemians in those days) that Virginia was hesitant to even address her by her first name during their initial exchanges. Vita, despite her social boldness, so admired Virginia's talent for writing that it made her feel dejected, yet inspired. ("Dejected because I know I will never be able to write like that. Inspired because somebody can.") Virginia's superior literary success and Vita's varied lovers were among the sore points of their relationship, and though the selections read make only the slightest reference to physical intimacy between the two, the emotional intimacy is extraordinary and heartwarming, particularly during the exchanges involving Woolf's writing of "Orlando," whose title character is based on her intimate friend. ("You have invented a new form of narcissism. I am in love with 'Orlando!'")

I'm guessing that Andromache Chalfant, credited as design consultant, is mainly responsible for the wonderfully defining outfits the ladies wear. While Elliot's Vita is all lush and snazzy with a loose-fitting, burgundy colored velvet pants suit, bobbed red hair and a long string of pearls, Chalfant's Virginia looks sensibly comfy in a dark, shapeless dress and light blue cardigan. The set is a throw rug, two chairs and stools, but the ladies spend most of their time standing behind the music stands which hold their scripts. Though they barely have contact with each other, some of the most delicious acting takes place as they silently react to the other's spoken worlds. It's in those moments where they express the divine reality of feeling a lover's presence reaching out to you through paper and ink.