Taking the Stage 2024 - The V-Word

By Lisa Stenhouse

Vita Sackville-West was a prolific writer, self-taught gardener, and devoted wife – despite her many affairs with women.

Tormented by a vague mood of depression, Vita is alone in her writing room. As she conjures up moments with her beloved husband, the woman who almost destroyed her marriage, and her most famous female friendship, Vita struggles to make sense of her life.

Drawing on a plethora of works, from poetry and dream diaries to lectures and novels, The V Word blurs fact with fiction to explore the elusive pursuit of happiness and need for purpose.

Lisa Stenhouse - Vita Sackville-West & Playwright

After gaining a degree in French and Spanish from Oxford, Lisa trained at Mountview. She was founder and Artistic Director of Peppermint Muse Theatre Company. Lisa lovingly premiered new writing at the Edinburgh Fringe, booking tours for three productions. She also directed and produced as well as acted for the company. This included writing and performing her solo-show Lavender Junction, which was inspired by tape recordings of her grandmother’s life in Colonial India.

Lisa played Edith Thompson in the ACE funded tour of Darlint Peidi with The Play’s The Thing Theatre Company, for whom she also appeared as Genevieve in Splendour and Kath in Entertaining  Mr Sloane. On stage her fabulously fierce range includes 80s politically outspoken Max in Death and Dancing, crotch-kneeing incestuous May (Fool for Love), wheel-chair bound Stephanie Abrahams (Duet for One), and various Shakespeare characters including Lady Macbeth and Hamlet. On screen she has featured in commercials for Specsavers and a Swiss Insurance Company. Both involved animals! Lisa recently filmed her first feature, Jury of 12, playing Juror No. 1 – the foreperson.

John Stenhouse - Director

As well as being a professional actor, John wrote and performed Altamont (Edinburgh Fringe/touring). He directed Lavender Junction and Death and Dancing for Peppermint Muse Theatre Company and played the title role in their five star production, The Colours of Kenny Roach (Edinburgh/touring). Other acting credits include Claudius (Hamlet), Ralph (Frozen) and Eddie (Fool for Love).

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