Laura-Jane Foley

{{Short description|British playwright and art historian}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Use British English|date=November 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Laura-Jane Foley | birth_date = | birth_place = London, England | education = Homerton College, Cambridge Trinity College, Oxford (MSt) Kingston University (PhD) | occupation = Playwright, art historian, journalist | children = 1 }} '''Laura-Jane Foley''' is a British playwright and art historian.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/londoners-diary-liz-kendall-would-be-a-breath-of-fresh-air-for-labour-10241648.html|title=Londoner's Diary: Liz Kendall would be a breath of fresh air for|date=11 May 2015|work=Evening Standard|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> Her play ''An Evening with Lucian Freud'' played at the Leicester Square Theatre in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/cressida-bonas-an-evening-lucian-freud_37640.html|title=Cressida Bonas stars in one-woman play about Lucian Freud|date=22 April 2015|work=WhatsOnStage.com|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> She is a former lecturer at the University of Cambridge in History of Art and Creative Writing.<ref name="cam.ac.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/components/tutors/?view=tutor&id=4232&cid=14062|title=University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education – University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref>

==Education and early career == Foley read History of Art at Homerton College, Cambridge, where she was awarded the Westall Prize.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/node/875|title=Homerton alumna pens West End play – Homerton College|access-date=29 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092302/http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/node/875|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> She also edited ''Varsity'', the university newspaper.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.smithsmagazine.co.uk/2015/06/23/laura-jane-foley-an-interview/ |title=Laura-Jane Foley: An Interview – [smiths] |access-date=3 January 2016 |archive-date=2 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102050829/http://www.smithsmagazine.co.uk/2015/06/23/laura-jane-foley-an-interview/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Foley was a choral scholar and appeared on the television programme ''Faking It'' during her second year, where she was transformed from choir girl to rock chick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/faking-it/on-demand/36186-001|title=Faking It|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> She then undertook an MSt in History of Art at Trinity College, Oxford.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Newsletter_Spring_2015_WEB.pdf |title=Newsletter |date=Spring 2015 |access-date=29 December 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210740/http://www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Newsletter_Spring_2015_WEB.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was awarded her PhD by Kingston University for a thesis entitled "Lucian Freud Portraits: Curatorial Ekphrasis in Contemporary British Poetic Practice".<ref>{{cite thesis|url=http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/28205/|title=Lucian Freud portraits: curatorial ekphrasis in contemporary British poetic practice – Research Repository|date=April 2013|publisher=Kingston University|access-date=29 December 2015|type=phd|last1=Foley|first1=Laura-Jane Maria}}</ref>

==Writing and academic career== Foley has lectured at Bristol University and Kingston University.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bristol.ac.uk/arthistory/events/regular/archive/seminars-spring07.html|title=Bristol University – Department of History of Art – Research Seminars Spring/Summer 2007|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingston.ac.uk/events/item/1769/11-nov-2015-an-evening-with-playwright-laura-jane-foley-kingston-university-alumna/ |title=An evening with playwright Laura Jane Foley, Kingston University alumna|date=11 November 2015 |access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> She currently lectures in History of Art and Creative Writing at Cambridge University.<ref name="cam.ac.uk"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/component/courses/?view=course&cid=17312 |title=Course – Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing I – University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education |access-date=30 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208050416/http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/component/courses/?view=course&cid=17312 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As a journalist, Foley has written for ''The Independent'', ''TES'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tes.com/news/author/laura-jane-foley|title=Laura-Jane Foley|work=TES|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> ''The Art Newspaper''<ref>{{cite news |url=https://theartnewspaper.com/reports/all-roads-lead-to-camden-as-auerbach-comes-to-town/ |title=All roads lead to Camden as Auerbach comes to town |newspaper=The Art Newspaper |access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> and ''The Liberal''. From 2008 to 2010, she edited ''Politick!'' a political magazine for people aged 18 to 35.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/node/42300|title=New political magazine hopes to get young people voting|access-date=29 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304132722/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/node/42300|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/7693146.stm|title=BBC NEWS – Programmes – Politics Show – Biting the bullet train|date=30 October 2008|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref>

In 2009, Foley curated and edited ''The Butterfly Book'', a charity art book which included contributions from Tony Blair, Kate Winslet, Grayson Perry, and others, in aid of leukaemia research.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5246726/Tony-Blair-and-Kate-Winslet-contribute-to-butterfly-book.html|title=Tony Blair and Kate Winslet contribute to butterfly book|date=29 April 2009|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> She also contributed to ''Cambridge University – An 800th Anniversary Portrait'' (2009), ''The Old Parsonage'' (2010), ''Poetry from Art'' (2011), and ''The Echoing Gallery'' (2013).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laurajanefoley.wix.com/laurajanefoley#!publications/galleryPage|title=Laura-Jane Foley|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref>

In 2015, Foley's play ''An Evening with Lucian Freud'' appeared at the Leicester Square Theatre in the West End. The one woman play with video cameos starred Cressida Bonas, Alastair Stewart and Maureen Lipman. The play was based on Foley's own experience with Lucian Freud after she rejected an offer to become his muse.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article1551925.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528015411/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article1551925.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 May 2015 |title=Harry's ex to star in Lucian Freud play – The Sunday Times|website=The Sunday Times|access-date=29 December 2015}}</ref> Directed by Ella Marchment, the play received national and international press attention.

In 2016, Foley collaborated with composer Stephen Barlow for a new opera composition, called 'She sings it differently'. It premiered at the National Portrait Gallery on 24 June 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.helioscollective.co.uk/current-productions |title=Helios Collective | Award-Winning Opera Company |access-date=3 November 2016 |archive-date=4 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104075335/http://www.helioscollective.co.uk/current-productions |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Foley mounted the exhibition 'The Shakespeareans' at The Ivy in August 2016. It featured Joss Ackland and Jonathan Pryce.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/laurajane-foley-on-splitting-from-sir-tim-rice-after-becoming-pregnant-and-her-new-exhibition-a3320456.html|title=Laura-Jane Foley on splitting from Sir Tim Rice and her new exhibition|date=15 August 2016}}</ref>

In 2016 Foley was shortlisted for an Aviva Women of the Future Award in the Arts and Culture category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wearethecity.com/2016-women-future-awards-shortlist-announced/|title = 2016 Women of the Future Awards shortlist announced|date = 27 September 2016}}</ref>

In 2018 Foley released her album 'Songs for My Daughter' with proceeds going to the Lullaby Trust.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Families Hampshire North Magazine Jan/Feb 2019|url=https://issuu.com/familiesonline/docs/fhn30jan-feblr/11|access-date=2021-06-09|via=Issuu|date=18 December 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

Foley hosts a podcast entitled 'My Favourite Work of Art'.<ref>{{Cite web|title=My Favourite Work of Art on acast|url=https://play.acast.com/s/myfavouriteworkofart|access-date=2021-06-09|website=acast|language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life== Foley has a daughter with lyricist Tim Rice born in October 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/14/tim-rice-splits-from-lover-more-than-half-his-age-who-is-having/|title=Tim Rice splits from lover less than half his age, who is having his baby|work=The Telegraph|date=14 May 2016|access-date=19 May 2016|first=Lexi|last=Finnigan}}</ref>

==Selected works==

===Theatre=== * ''Words of Love''{{Snd}}''P.S I Love You'' (Poem/Installation), Bradford Playhouse * ''A Far Better Thing'' (Libretto), ROH workshop, Jerwood Space * ''An Evening with Lucian Freud'' (Play), Leicester Square Theatre

===Books=== * ''The Butterfly Book'' (Art book) (2009) * ''Cambridge University''{{Snd}}''An 800th Anniversary Portrait'' (Article) (2009) * ''The Old Parsonage'' (Novella) (2010) * ''Poetry from Art'' (Poem) (2011) * ''The Echoing Gallery'' (Poem) (2013) * ''An Evening with Lucian Freud'' (Playtext) (2015)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://www.laurajanefoley.co.uk Official website] * [http://www.ice.cam.ac.uk/components/tutors/?view=tutor&id=4232&cid=14062 Cambridge University Biography]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foley, Laura-Jane}} Category:Living people Category:British art historians Category:English women dramatists and playwrights Category:21st-century English women writers Category:Alumni of Homerton College, Cambridge Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford Category:Alumni of Kingston University Category:1982 births Category:British women art historians Category:Academics of the Institute of Continuing Education Category:21st-century English dramatists and playwrights Category:21st-century English historians Category:British magazine founders