Lost Art of Letter Writing to be revived in the Capital

Lost Art of Letter Writing to be revived in the Capital

A big hit in Melbourne and New York, the literary saloon Women of Letters is coming to San Fran, Wellington for the first time on Sunday 16 November.

Marieke Hardy and Michaela McGuire – the Australian creators and curators of the successful literary saloon that has featured the likes of Martha Wainwright, Edie Falco and Moby – are delighted to be bringing the show across the Tasman.

The event celebrates the art of letter writing, and the extraordinary people that have been invited to pen and present them. In Wellington, seven New Zealand women have been revealed as the inaugural Women of Letters.‘The women that Marieke and Michaela have lined up for New Zealand’s first encounter with the project are a phenomenal group’, says presenter Andrew Laking, ‘Given their diverse and outstanding backgrounds, each willbring something unique to the evening’.
The line-up is:

Artistic Director of the NZ Festival SHELAGH MAGADZA
Playwright, theatre director and performer JO RANDERSON
Actress and director NANCY BRUNNING
Journalist, broadcaster and former politician PAM CORKERY
Comedienne, poet and actor PENNY ASHTON
Actress and playwright MIRANDA MANASIADIS
And writer and human rights advocate MARIANNE ELLIOTT.

The seven women have been asked to write a letter on the theme of ‘Letter to my Unanswered Question’ and they will read their letters to a live audience, followed by a group forum discussion led by Michaela McGuire.

Nothing is recorded during the event so the experience remains one-off and authentic for the writers and audience alike ‘Audience members enjoy that they don't have to have their camera phones up and they can just enjoy’, says Marieke Hardy.

‘Women of Letters is a true passion project for Marieke and Michaela (who donate any profit from the event to charity) and one I have wanted to see in New Zealand for quite some time’, says presenter Claire Mabey. ‘This event is very much a one-off experience for both the writers and the audience so you do really have to be there to understand just how special it is’, she says.

Tickets on sale now at www.eventfinder.co.nz, $30 or $35 on the door.

Women of Letters rounds of a weekend of literary adventures with LitCrawl Wellington taking place on Saturday 15 November, www.litcrawl.co.nz. Both produced byproduction company Pirate & Queen (AndrewLaking and Claire Mabey).

Women of Letters | Sunday 16 November | San Fran | 7.30pm |
Tickets: www.eventfinder.co.nz ($30 pre-sales, $35 doorsales)

Women of Letters Wellington is proudly supported by Museum Art Hotel: www.museumhotel.co.nz

LitCrawl | Saturday 15 November | Seventy writers & performers, Fifteen venues, one fabulous night | www.litcrawl.co.nz | entry by koha

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