Yours Faithfully Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)

Shepherd, Chris, Orton, Joe, Parker, Emma, Steadman, Alison and Sebastian, Robin (2017) Yours Faithfully Edna Welthorpe (Mrs). [Film/Video]

Abstract

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 FILM

To celebrate Orton’s comic genius, BAFTA-nominated
filmmaker Chris Shepherd created a five minute animation inspired by the Edna Welthorpe letters.

Directed by Chris Shepherd, Written by Joe Orton an adapted by Chris Shepherd. Voiced by Alison Steadman and Robin Sebastian.

The film premiered on BBC Arts. Later in the UK coupled with 1980's biopic Prick Up Your Ears in a double bill on the Criterion Collection. The film has also played many LBGT events and screenings including Homotopia an the London International Animation Festival.

Winner of Wildcard Award, Saboteur Awards 2018.

“It’s such an honour to be celebrating the life of Joe Orton – one of the greatest British playwrights and my comedy hero. I read his plays as a teenager; his naughtiness got me giggling and I’ve been laughing ever since. My mum introduced me to Joe Orton when her favourite film was on TV: Entertaining Mr Sloane, starring Beryl Reid. I was totally gobsmacked. I loved it. I ran out and bought all of Joe’s plays. His sense of rebellion and anarchy struck a profound chord with me. As a filmmaker, I wanted to wake up the audience, like Joe. So he has always been a massive touchstone for me. And the Edna Welthorpe letters really make me laugh. They bring out a spirit of mischievousness in me – and we all need a bit of that!”
CHRIS SHEPHERD

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