After the success of Tom and Viv a year ago, ElevenOneTheatre again immerses itself in the Bloomsbury set, this time focusing on the fascinating relationship between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville West. Playwright Eileen Atkins captures the friendship between these two writers as it blossoms from playful, feisty exchanges into tenderness and eventually into a passionate love affair that spanned two decades, and culminated in Woolf immortalising Vita in her 1928 novel Orlando. Tragically, its publication coincided with Woolf’s growing jealousy of Vita’s other relationships, and the depression that had dogged her for much of her life strengthened its grip, leading to her suicide just over a decade later.

Based on letters written by Virginia and Vita, Atkins’s script is lively and witty, ensuring that this affectionate portrait is both entertaining and compelling. Helen Taylor and Ida Persson are captivating as Virginia and Vita respectively, breathing freshness and vitality into their words, and giving accurate glimpses into their two very different personalities.

Vita and Virginia continues at LMH until Saturday. Box office: 01865 305305,ww.oxfordplayhouse.com/ticketsoxford. For more details, visit www.111theatre.co.uk.