Was Virginia Woolf more fun that we think? The reputation of the great writer’s character has long been a subject of frustration for the academics who call themselves “Woolfians”. They believe their favourite author is viewed far too narrowly – as miserable, surly, pompous. Yes, they argue, we know that Woolf had bipolar disorder for most of her life, then referred to as “manic depression”. And we know that when she took her own life at the age of 59 in 1941, the first sentence of her suicide note read: “I feel certain I am going mad again.” But she was also a person of great joy who delighted in everyday absurdities and had a terrific sense of humour.
Now a new film is igniting interest in a more rounded view of Woolf. Night & Day, in cinemas now, is based on Woolf’s 1919 novel and features a comedic ensemble – Jennifer Saunders, Jack Whitehall, Sally Phillips and Timothy Spall – with Haley Bennett leading the cast as Katharine Hilbery, a young woman determined to make it as an astronomer in a world where women are very much not allowed to be astronomers at all. In a key opening scene, Katharine dresses up as a man – complete with bowler hat – to attend the Royal Astronomical Society.
