Reclusive Emily's biography

I saw

Obviously it's about Emily Dickinson, who was a well-known recluse, but it also deals with the actress's own attempt to write a play about her heroine, so the two themes are intermingled. It's a wonderful story - very captivating, and extremely well thought out.

The actress is Edie Campbell, who I have a personal interest in because she was at Oxford with my daughter. She wrote the play herself but uses pertinent letters and poems for illustration. It's directed by Jack Lynch, her partner. There's an extraordinary transformation towards the end when she seems to age and become Emily Dickinson. The lighting is vital for that scene.

We also saw it in Somerset House at the Royal Society Of Literature, where they didn't have appropriate lighting but it was still powerful. Edie is from North America so there are no problems with accents, she carries all that off perfectly. I think she's a star in the making, especially as this is an intense one-woman piece, and her performance is marvellous.

We went with a lot of friends, all of whom were impressed. The play is extremely funny in parts, at other times poignant and serious - it's an uplifting and memorable evening that holds one's attention throughout. It is apparent that the actress loves and has studied her subject, and she throws interesting light on the poet's life. I recommend it unreservedly.