Yours Faithfully Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) [the event]

Co-creator and co-curator of Yours Faithfully Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) with Dr Emma Parker of Leicester University. Yours Faithfully is a tribute project to the 60's author and playwright Joe Orton. To mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of Joe Orton. In collaboration with the Orton Archive in Leicester University we created a multi disciplined project. THE EVENT On 9 August 2017, actors, writers and comedians gathered at The Little Theatre, Leicester, to celebrate the life, work and legacy of Joe Orton 50 years after his death. The venue for the event has special significance since, in 1949, Joe (then John) Orton performed in Shakespeare’s Richard III at The Little Theatre as a member of Leicester Drama Society. Actor Frances Barber, who played Leonie Orton in the film Prick Up Your Ears (1987), read the original Edna Welthorpe letters; Chris Shepherd screened his new animation inspired by Orton’s work; authors read their new Edna letters; Leonie Orton shared memories of her brother’s pranks in Leicester; David Quantick and Graham Fellows (John Shuttleworth) discussed Orton’s impact on contemporary comedy. Winner of the Wildcard Award at the Saboteur Awards 2018