Letters Out Loud 2025

Join us for an enchanting evening as familiar voices bring to life selected letters from the Alexander Turnbull Library collections. Spanning from 1825 to 1974, these letters range from the poignant to the hilarious, offering a captivating glimpse into surprising events over 150 years.

Book your tickets: bit.ly/letters-out-loud-2025

Readers include Ngahiwi Apanui Barr, Una Cruickshank, Tanea Heke, Michele Leggott, David O’Donnell, Karen O’Leary, Trevor Richards, Vaughan Slinn, Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

Bringing history to life through letters

Prepare to be amazed by how these historical texts can resonate with us today. Letters, more than any other written form, reveal the essence of their time, painting vivid portraits of the past.

Well-known personalities will read letters covering a range of topics including:

• The oldest extant Māori letter, written and read by a child
• The up and downs of farm life
• Yehudi Menuhin in the bath
• A Member of Parliament in love
• On board the sinking Wahine

Letters out Loud promises to be an evening where history is brought to life through the power of the written word.Doors open at 5:00pm for drinks and nibbles, readings begin at 6:00pm, concludes by 7:30pm

All profits go to support grants for research at the Alexander Turnbull Library. The Friends of the Turnbull Library (FOTL) offer grants of $20,000 available to scholars whose research involves the use of the collections of the Alexander Turnbull Library.

Friends of the Turnbull research grants

About the speakers

• Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr is Tumu Whakahaere | Chief Executive at Te Taura Whiri i Te Reo Māori | The Māori Language Commission.
• Tanea Heke (MNZM) is an actor and Tumuaki | Director of Toi Whakaari New Zealand Drama School.
• Karen O’Leary is a comedian, actor, teacher, and star of the television program Wellington Paranormal.
• Vaughan Slinn is an actor, film-maker, screen-writer, and researcher.
• David O’Donnell is a passionate and vibrant teacher of theatre studies and the winner of the 2024 Kiwibank Local Hero Medal.
• Una Cruickshank is the author of the 2025 Ockham Award shortlisted nonfiction book, The Chthonic Cycle
• Michele Leggott is a former New Zealand Poet Laureate and Professor Emerita of English, University of Auckland.
• Trevor Richards was one of the founder of HART: Halt All Racist Tours in 1969 which led a life long commitment to social justice issues.
• Jennifer Ward-Lealand has worked extensively in theatre, film, television, musical and radio as an actor, director and teacher for over 40 years.