Dear Abbie

Dear Abbie,

Last night I somewhat belatedly caught up with seeing "Bright Star". I first saw you on DVD in Somersault in early 2006 and was very impressed with your performance as a young woman dealing with a troubled past and sexual awakening.

You had clearly then what I regard as "Pure Gift". The ability to convey the most poignant,simple and visceral emotions through your eyes. No need for facial grimacing or even simple overuse as such. Yet you had some faults in your carriage and use of your hands. I have since made a point of seeing all your movies' at some stage or other and I must admit to variable but gradual improvement in your acting, though you still made me cringe at times (e.g. The overuse of your clenched fists in the frozen chook scene in "Candy").

Last night however was as close to a perfect performance as I have ever seen. As a movie I loved it . As a lover of Keats , I am perhaps somewhat biased here, and obviously credit for the whole movie is far broader than your role. But I must admit I fell in love with "Fanny Brawne", and could fully understand how the warm, courteous, sensitive yet complicated Keats did likewise. Your success was complete.

There were no cringes. The hands and carriage were perfect; the voice conveyed all the proper nuances. The eyes said it all when there was nothing to say. And that visceral grief reaction in the penultimate scene moved me to a dripping snivelling mess as anyone who has loved and felt that feeling would know.

Yes girl, you have truly now come of age. You won't win an Oscar. Such is life, as one Aussie to another knows. I don't expect you to read this. I just felt in the mood for writing a letter after seeing your(and my) Bright Star.