Drama - The Angel and the Fiend

I first ‘discovered’ Lee Miller’s work pottering around upstairs in the 'print sale’ section at the Photographers’ Gallery in Great Newport Street in London about five years ago. I was immediately taken by the work of this remarkable woman, and made a note to find out more about her.
I got the chance a couple of years back, when her work was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery. I bought a book of her portraits. Later that year, looking for a present for somebody special, I found the book ‘The Lives of Lee Miller’, by her son Antony Penrose, in Waterstone’s in Brighton. I read it cover to cover before presenting it. I hadn’t until then realised Miller’s local connection: she lived most of her last three decades, between 1947 and 1977, in Farley Farm, in Chiddingly, with her husband Roland Penrose.
Last October, I was delighted to see that the Star Gallery was putting on an exhibition of her work, ‘Beauty and the Beast’. On seeing the poster in the Tourist Office window, I realised, in a flash, that there was enough going on in this town to warrant a listings magazine. The kernel of the idea for Viva Lewes was planted there and then.
On realising that April marks the 100th anniversary of Lee Miller’s birth, we jumped at the chance to put on ‘The Angel and the Fiend’, a dramatic reproduction of Miller’s life, written by Antony, which will feature over 350 of her pictures. For a full preview of the show see last week's issue. A few tickets for the event are still on sale in Laporte’s on Lansdowne Place. AL