Inspired by Letters of Note, the bestselling anthology compiled by Shaun Usher, and by
To the Letter by Simon Garfield, Letters Live is a series of live readings by some of the
greatest stars in the acting world to celebrate the enduring power of literary correspondence.
Sophie Hunter has taken part to these exciting evenings of letter reading several times.
HAY FESTIVAL
May 30, 2014
Sophie Hunter read a 1912 letter by 26 year old Clementine Churchill called "Ought women not to be abolished altogether?" where she answered a letter to The Times by Almroth Wright about women's right to vote. You can read Clementine Churchill's witty response here. The event was held at Hay Festival, an annual literature festival in Hay-on-Wye, Wales.
Source: Chronoculture
FREEMASON'S HALL
March 31 - April 4, 2015
Letters Live returned to London for its most ambitious season yet, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey. Sophie Hunter, at the time in the last trimester of her first pregnancy, read Jessie Bernard's "Letter to an Unborn Child" and Clementine Churchill's "Ought women not to be abolished altogether?" letter to The Times.
FREEMASON'S HALL
March 10 - 15, 2016
The Letters Live team brought to life a new exceptional run of performances. This year Sophie Hunter took part as a featured reader on March 13, 2016 and as part of the audience on March 12 and March 15 accompaning her husband who also read on those days. Sophie read two letters: the moving "My heart almost stood still", Helen Keller's letter to the New York Symphony Orchestra and the witty "Dear friend" with Louise Brealey, Helen Gingould's hilarious answer to an anonimous hater.
Maja Smiejkowska/REX/Shutterstock
Maja Smiejkowska/REX/Shutterstock
Anthony Devlin/PA
Maja Smiejkowska/REX/Shutterstock
Source: Twitter
Source: Twitter
Source: Facebook
Source: Twitter
HAY FESTIVAL
May 28-29, 2016
Sophie Hunter took part in the Family Friendly Matinee as a featured reader alongside a starry cast which included her husband Benedict Cumberbatch, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Maxine Peake, Olivia Coleman and Louise Brealey among others, at Letters Live's second year at Hay Festival. She read Chrissy Hart's heartbreaking letter to J.K. Rowling on May 29, with a heartfelt response from the public.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
VICTORIA & ALBERT MUSEUM
November 29, 2016
Sophie Hunter took the stage once again for a special Letters Live Event honoring PORTER Magazine's women. She read Chrissy Hart's moving Letter to J.K. Rowling and a heartbreaking letter from a mourning 16th century South Korean widow to her beloved late husband titled "How could you go ahead of me"
UNION CHAPEL
March 7-9, 2018
During this new, very succesful run of Letters Live Sophie Hunter took part as a featured reader with Debbie Harry’s “Dear Sixteen Year Old Me”on March 8, 2018 and as part of the audience on March 7 with her husband Benedict Cumberbatch who also read on those days.
video source
NEW YORK'S TOWN HALL
May 18-19, 2018
New York's Town Hall hosted this first highly acclaimed East Coast run of Letters Live for which Sophie Hunter was a speaker on its first day, announcing readers and letters.
source: instagram
source: instagram
source: instagram
HAY FESTIVAL
June 2 -3. 2018
Letters Live returned to Hay Festival with another stunning line up. Sophie Hunter also returned as a speaker on both nights, June 2nd and 3rd, 2018.
Photo: Chris Atanasiou
June 2
June 3
Photo: Chris Atanasiou
Photo: Kate Taylor - source: Instagram
Photo: Lionel Hahn/ source: Wonderwall
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL
August 31, 2018
During the 2018 Venice International Film Festival Jaeger-LeCoultre hosted its annual Gala dinner in the lavish setting of Palazzo Pisani Moretta and a Letters Live event in aid of World Literacy Foundation featuring Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Jaeger-LeCoultre's newly appointed brand ambassador Benedict Cumberbatch, actress Joanne Froggatt and director David Cronenberg. Sophie Hunter took part in the event again as a speaker.
The ROUNDHOUSE
July 28, 2021
After a long pandemic induced hiatus Letters Live could finally come back following the lifting of Covid prevention measures for live shows so they did come back and with a bang at The Roundhouse for "The Last Word Festival"with an amazing line-up of readers and Sophie Hunter as the "Voice of God".
The performance was taped and digitally released for a one off live event for the first time as well.
HAY FESTIVAL
June 4-5, 2022
Letters Live returned to "Hay Festival" for the sixth time with a fundraising event in aid of Disasters Emergency Committee in aid of the Ukrainian population and a family friendly show. Sophie Hunter was once again "Voice of God" for the occasions.
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
October 27, 28, 2022
Letters Live was back at the Royal Albert Hall
for the third time
ROYAL ALBERT HALL
November 17, 2023
Letters Live returned to the Royal Albert Hall for a very special evening during the 10th anniversary year since its inception.
Sophie Hunter featured as "Voice of God"
10th anniversary celebrations
