W. F. Howes to publish Virginia Woolf’s Night and Day audiobook to coincide with the film release

Sally Phillips, who stars in the forthcoming film, to narrate new audio edition

W. F. Howes, RBmedia’s U.K. publishing brand, will publish a new audio edition of Virginia Woolf’s novel Night and Day to coincide with the release of the novel’s cinematic adaptation this June.

British actor and comedian Sally Phillips (Smack the Pony, Bridget Jones), who stars in the movie alongside Haley Bennett, Timothy Spall, Lilly Allen, Jennifer Saunders, and Jack Whitehall, has been cast as the narrator.

Published in 1919 and set in pre-WW1 London, Night and Day is Virginia Woolf’s critically acclaimed second novel. Part love story, part social commentary, the story contrasts the daily lives and romantic entanglements of two acquaintances, Katherine Hilbery and Mary Datchet, while examining the relationships between love, marriage, happiness, and success.

Ahead of launch, W.F. Howes worked closely with the Night and Day producers and Vue Lumiere to secure exclusivity as the film’s official audiobook partner, as well as rights to use movie imagery as audiobook cover art.

Justine Waddell from Asterisk Films, who wrote and produced the film, said: “We all know Virginia Woolf as the tremendously serious author who inspired ‘The Hours’ and wrote ‘Mrs Dalloway.’ We are delighted to be working with the wonderful Sally Phillips and W.F. Howes to bring listeners back to a novel which asks the same questions about purpose, identity and love, but with humor and sly wit. This is funny Virginia Woolf and we know listeners will love it.”

Laura Smith, Acquisitions Manager at W. F. Howes, added: “Originally published over 100 years ago, Night and Day is Virginia at her most incisive and emotionally observant—and perhaps the funniest of all of her novels. When we saw that a movie adaptation was in the works, and that it would star some of our favourite comedic actors, we moved quickly to secure the audiobook tie-in rights, and were delighted that Sally agreed to bring it to life in audio and provide a vital link between the two mediums.”

Smith continued: “In recent years, we have produced a range of highly successful blockbuster film tie-in audiobook editions, such as Poor Things and The Lives of Lee Miller. Operating as an extension of the cinematic releases, these audio editions attract an engaged, captive audience and have become some of the most popular titles on our list. We’re excited to introduce a new generation of listeners to this Virginia Woolf classic.”