Past event

Union Chapel, 2018

Date:
7-9 March 2018

On the back of two sold-out nights in July 2017 during which audiences were treated to captivating performances from the likes of Colin Firth, Michael Palin, Noma Dumezweni, Taron Egerton, Rob Brydon, Amanda Abbington, and many others, Letters Live returned in March 2018 to London’s iconic Union Chapel to once again bring letters to life.

 

Over the course of these three unique evenings, the pulpit was graced by, in no particular order, Amanda Abbington, Louise Brealey, Ophelia Lovibond, Mariella Frostrup, Gina Miller, Helen McCrory, Sophie Hunter, Ayobami Adebayo, Juno Dawson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Elizabeth Debicki, Damian Lewis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jon Culshaw, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Ian McShane, Tony Robinson, Noel Fielding, Sinead Cusack, Sue Perkins, Celia Imrie, Rose McGowan, John Bishop, Ade Edmonson, Julian Clary, Matt Berry, Olivia Colman, Niamh McGrady, Sharon Horgan, Jeremy Corbyn, Meera Syal, Jarvis Cocker, and Nick Cave, all of whom helped to breathe life into correspondence from all walks of life and take the audiences on an emotional and unforgettable journey through time.

 

Our chosen charities for this run of shows were First Story, Women for Women International, and Help Refugees.

Programme

 

Adrian Edmondson

 
Notes Upon Sounds

Ford Madox Ford to Joseph Conrad

 
Picture The Scene

Rik Mayall to Bob Geldof

 

 

Benedict Cumberbatch

 
Fart Proudly

Benjamin Franklin to the Royal Academy

 
A Lousy Proposition

Evelyn Waugh to Laura Herbert

 

 

Jarvis Cocker

 
You are a considerable cat’s paw

William Hazlitt to William Gifford

 
It’s a Virus

Tom Waits to The Nation

 

 

Jeremy Corbyn

 
Nothing good gets away

John Steinbeck to Thomas Steinbeck

 
I hope you don’t feel too disappointed

Eric Idle to John Major

 

 

Jeremy, Benedict, Jarvis, Olivia, Julian, Meera, Adrian, John and Sharon

 
Dogs Vs Cats

Various to The Guardian

 

 

John Bishop

 
Dear Abby

Worried in Chicago to Abby

 
Bill Hicks on Freedom of Speech

Bill Hicks to A Priest

 

 

Julian Clary

 
Now her soul is free

Ram Dass to Steve and Anita Isser

 
Church Weddings Are Vulgar & Stupid

Alexander Woollcott to Alexander Woollcott

 
It will be sunny one day

Stephen Fry to Crystal

 

 

Matt Berry

 
GO TO HELL

Asger Jorn to Harry Guggenheim

 
I would rather die

Harold Pinter to Tom Stoppard

 

 

Meera Syal

 
Wisdom is a gift

Toni Morrison to Barack Obama

 
I Cannot Do Less

Simone de Beauvoir to Nelson Algern

 
You may not send us your verses

Angus and Robertson to FC Meyer

 

 

Nick Cave

 
My muse is not a horse

Nick Cave to MTV

 

 

Niamh McGrady

 
I refuse to be cheated out of my deathbed scene

Rebeca West to H.G. Wells

 
Your road manager needs a POKE

Anonymous Child to The Rolling Stones

 

 

Olivia Colman

 
Know that you are Loved

Dorothy Freeman to Rachel Carson

 
Also

Lady Elizabeth Compton to Lord William Compton

 
Thank you, and I hope you choke

Beatles Fan to Nike

 

 

Sharon Horgan

 
I am in receipt of your final demand

Naval Officer to a Creditor

 
Have A Happy Period

Wendi Aarons to James Thatcher

 

 

Music

 
 

Nick Cave

 
Love Letter
God Is In The House