Below is a comprehensive list of professional work, performances and writing:
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) Acting and The Speaking of Verse and Prose, all grades to gold medal. 1981-1992. LAMDA teaching certificate.
Winner of the Ironside-Wood Trophy for poetry, 1989. (Suffolk Music Festival)
Certificate in Creative Writing, University college, Suffolk, 2011
Criminology level 1 – University college, Suffolk 2009
NLP certificate in Forensic Psychology 2019.
Understanding autism Level 2. East London University College.
Lady Macbeth – Riverside Theatre 1991
Sandra – Touched by Stephen Lowe 1991
Film extra in ‘Yesterday’ directed by Danny Boyle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3VeHyedL1U 2019
Published writing: ‘Getting to the Heart of the Head’ Spectrum Magazine 2019 https://www.autism.org.uk/thespectrum
‘The Rented Room’ The Weird and the Whatnot print book, Kindle and E-zine 2019. http://theweirdandwhatnot.com
‘A Horde of inaccuracy and Fearmongering’ Spectrum Magazine July 2019 https://www.autism.org.uk
‘An Afternoon Walk’ https://www.acumen-poetry.co.uk/virginia-betts/ Acumen Literary Journal 95 September 2019 issue. Print and online.
https://www.abilitymaine.org/bs2020summer/%22gifted%22 Article on neurodivergence
https://www.abilitymaine.org/bs2020fall/%22forest%22 (poetry)
https://www.thelatinprogramme.co.uk/poetryprize2020 (Poetry Prize)
https://minervarising.com Poetry
Numerous appearances on BBC Radio 2020-2022 – poetry and stories on air
https://pureslush.com/store/lifespan/ poetry published in this series.
https://hightide.org.uk/event/community-town-hall-morning/ Playwright for theatre and play also aired on radio January 2022.
https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/shows/wolsey-writers-late-night-cafe/#prices performance of poetry Wolsey Theatre 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR7ZDs9veu4 All change! Acting in play for Suffolk Poetry Society, May 2022.
The Camera Obscure. A Collection of Short Stories by Virginia Betts, published June 2022. (Austin Macauley Publishing) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Camera-Obscure-Virginia-Betts/dp/1398423513/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1658596557&sr=8-2
Tourist to the Sun – a poetry Collection by Virginia Betts published July 2022. (Tim Saunders Publishing https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tourist-Sun-collection-Virginia-Betts-ebook/dp/B0B5LNWY2N/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2G27HX80VAESI&keywords=virginia+betts&qid=1657197404&sprefix=%2Caps%2C62&sr=8-2
Felixstowe Book Festival 2022:
https://felixstowebookfestival.co.uk/emerging-writers-short-story-competition-2022 Runner up prize
A Thin Slice of Anxiety magazine – Anxiety Press 2023
http://www.athinsliceofanxiety.com/2023/07/poetry-selections-from-virginia-betts.html
Bristol Noir magazine 2023
Yorick Radio, Perth.
GenX Radio – Various Appearances 2023
BBC Radio – Various appearances 2023
Primadonna Festival: Main Stage performance of poetry 2023
The Felixstowe Magazine: Various articles on going and poem for the coronation:https://www.thefelixstoweapp.com/blog/c/0/i/72638759/mother-s-gift-her-son
Freelance tutor of poetry in performance and writing workshops
Suffolk Poetry Society https://suffolkpoetrysociety.org/event-tickets/poetry-and-performance-workshop-with-virginia-betts/
Recent Professional Theatre:
Hightide and Wolsey Theatre: Lullaby (co-writer) 2021
Angry Ghosts poetry by Mai Black Performances in 2022 and 2023
Neurodelicious Launch Pad performing at the Cambridge Junction, Colchester Mercury and Colchester Arts Centre 2022.
The Dead Poets Theatre Company: Poetry and spoken word in Performance. Cambridge Tall Trees https://www.talltreesmusicvenue.com/whats-on/the-dead-poets-present-a-ghostly-evening
Black and White Productions: (full time member)
The Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey (Mary Boleyn and Elizbeth Barton (April 2023 and October 2023 Touring productions) and screen version of this. (October project Lottery funded for Wolsey 550 ) https://www.stpetersbythewaterfront.com/whats-on/thomas-wolsey-rise-fall
Harry’s Bar: A Touch of the Blarney (Maud Gonne) July 2023 Two Sisters Arts Centre (and film)
http://twosistersarts.co.uk/2023/05/29/harrys-bar-a-touch-of-the-blarney-preview-performance/
Reviews:
The Camera Obscure
Tourist to the Sun
Theatre:
https://britishtheatre.com/review-more-from-the-colchester-fringe-2022/
https://www.rachelsloane.co.uk/2023/07/05/review-harrys-bar-a-touch-of-the-blarney/
. I am a member of Equity, The Writer’s Guild, Suffolk Poetry Society, The Wolsey Writers, Hightide, Cambridge Troop and The Suffolk Book League. I run The David Lloyd Book Club for the Ipswich Branch, and teach freelance creative writing and performance, particularly poetry and performance workshops available for young people and adults.
24.10 24: Working in poetry performance with inmates at HMP Warren Hill.
Published December 2024.
Teaching: I am a qualified Teacher with over 23 years’ experience, most recently four years as a Private Tutor. In this role, I work closely with students, providing bespoke tuition to improve skills and confidence in all areas of English Literature and Language from those who wish to sit the 11 plus examinations, through to GCSE and A level. I am experienced in teaching any syllabus and happy to teach any literary text. As well as face-to-face tuition, I also offer tuition online. I am familiar with, and have taught, Edexcel, (9-1, IGCSE and A level) AQA, (GCSE 9-1 and A level), OCR (GCSE and A level), CAMBRIDGE IGCSE and EDUQAS (formerly WJEC Welsh Board) GCSE 9-1. I specialise in Literature at A level, but I have aided students in English Language A Level and I have also supported the work of a student studying the joint Language and Literature A Level for AQA and Functional skills level 1 and 2. I work as an examiner for AQA and mark Examinations during the Summer months. I also specialise in teaching those with additional needs and I am passionate access and inclusivity as I am diagnosed with autism and Irlens syndrome myself. I believe I also inspire students to enjoy their learning experience.
Prior to this, I worked as a secondary school teacher, the most recent of which was at Ipswich Independent school. In this role, I was used to dealing with strategies to manage classroom behaviour and well-versed in maintaining records of learning support and individual needs. I was also very competent at covering lessons for absent staff, having a sound knowledge of the curriculum.
Virginia Betts 