'Room' is a literary success at the Edge Arts Centre
Heather Alexander’s magnetic performance in Room reanimated the spirit of Virginia Woolf with clarity and emotional depth. From the moment she stepped onto the stage, Alexander transported the audience to Oxbridge in 1929, a place of privilege and exclusion. Her delivery, sharp yet intimate, guided us through Woolf’s reflections on gender, poverty, and the creative spirit. With wit, fury, and heartbreaking insight, the monologue moved between lecture hall, library, and street, laying bare the historical and ongoing obstacles faced by women writers.
The staging was spare but precise, allowing Alexander’s interpretation of Woolf’s words to take centre stage. Costume became metaphor: as Woolf’s shirt loosened and braces came off, we witnessed a transformation from 1920s radical to contemporary figure, blurring timelines and reminding us that Woolf’s concerns were far from outdated.
Following the performance, a post-show Q&A added layers of understanding. Room was not only a tribute to Virginia Woolf but a timely demand for us to keep asking difficult questions about gender, art, and equality.
