Tilda’s letters of love to connect the crowds at WOMADelaide
A love of letter writing and a desire for people to simply connect inspired Adelaide actor Tilda Cobham-Hervey to create Dear Stranger, an interactive installation, co-produced by Loredana Cross, that will see hundreds of letters delivered throughout WOMADelaide this year.
When where and how did the idea for Dear Stranger originate?
Dear Stranger is a companion piece to an interactive theatre show called Two Strangers Walk Into A Bar. I started working on this project during COVID, when I found myself in a house in Los Angeles, feeling incredibly lonely — not just for the people I loved, but for strangers. I missed those fleeting moments you share with people you’ve never met — how a brief interaction can shift your perspective or brighten your day.
When I finally made it back to Adelaide, I noticed how desperate I was to dive into the middle of a conversation, to share something real, to slow down and appreciate the little things. That’s when I started thinking about how to create a space where strangers could connect, where we could pause in our busy lives and acknowledge the absurdity and miracle of the everyday. I’ve also always had a deep love of letters. When I was 18, I used to send anonymous letters to people — little existential rambles or art activities. In hindsight, I realise that receiving an unsolicited philosophical musing from a teenager might have been a bit much. So, if you ever got one… consider this my formal apology.
How does Dear Stranger work?
A postie on a pink bicycle will be cycling around WOMADelaide every hour with a special delivery — an invitation to write to a stranger. If you’re up for the adventure, open the letter, respond to the prompt inside, and drop it into the pink post box at the outdoor post office. In return, the postie will hand you a letter from someone else, turning the festival into a giant, slow-motion conversation between people who’ve never met.
Why was this project important to you personally?
At its heart, it’s about connection — about slowing down and taking a moment to reflect, something we rarely do these days. It’s a small, tangible and strangely intimate way to reach out and say, “I see you,” even if you don’t know who’s on the other side.
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What do you hope people will experience when they read the letters?
A small moment of joy. A reminder that they are not so alone in the loneliness of being alive.
Why is connecting with strangers important – and is it more important now than in the past?
With everything going on in the world right now, I think it’s more important than ever to connect with strangers—to focus on the things that unite us rather than divide us. There’s something really powerful in stepping outside of yourself, in listening, in sharing a piece of yourself with someone you might never meet.
What do you hope participants will take away from the experience ?
I hope it makes people pause. I hope it surprises them. I hope it makes them smile. I hope it reminds them that we’re all just trying to figure this out together.
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What music are you excited about seeing at WOMAD this year – who are your top three to see?
Nils Frahm, PJ Harvey and Restless Dance Theatre’s Seeing Through Darkness.
Performer PJ Harvey will be a highlight of WOMAD for Tilda. Photo credit Steve Gullick / Supplied
Can you give me your most memorable all-time fave WOMAD moment from over the years?
It’s impossible to pick just one! I’m 30, and I think I’ve only missed five WOMADelaides in my lifetime. Some of my favourite memories are discovering incredible music from all over the world, dancing barefoot in the dirt, hugging my mum in a flurry of feathers, eating ridiculously good food, and meeting strangers who somehow felt like old friends by the end of the night.
What else is on your agenda for 2025?
I am currently preparing to shoot my first feature film. AHHHH!
WOMADelaide runs from March 7 – 10 at Botanic Park as part of Adelaide Festival
Read more 2025 Adelaide Festival coverage here on InReview