Eden Camp, the Second World War museum, set in the grounds of an original prisoner of war camp near Malton, is about to bring back to life the experiences of two young people during the dark days of the early 1940s.
It is hard to imagine not being able to contact anyone instantly with mobile phones and for younger people, even harder to imagine building an entire relationship whilst your country is at war, through handwritten letters.
This bank holiday weekend 27th-30th August Be Amazing Arts is working in partnership with Eden Camp Modern History Museum on a truly unique theatre performance.
Letters from Betty is a promenade performance based on hundreds of wartime love letters between Naval Sailor Bert and his sweetheart Betty.
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The audience will be completely immersed in the show whilst experiencing the sights and sounds of the amazing venue, Eden Camp.
There will also be multimedia elements and audience members will receive headsets to listen to the cast and will also have the opportunity to watch various bespoke films throughout the performance.
James Aconley, Producer & Co-Founder Be Amazing Arts: ‘‘This is a really exciting opportunity for Be Amazing Arts. We are over the moon to be working with Eden Camp on this project.
“These incredible letters really give you an insight into how it felt to be a young couple living through the Second World War.
“I think sometimes it can be difficult to relate to historical events and imagine how it must have felt to be there at that time but having these amazing first-hand accounts really does bring it home.’’
Ann, daughter of Bert and Betty said: ‘‘I originally placed my parents’ love-letters at Eden Camp for their safe-keeping. My father gave them to me shortly before he died. They were in two lots.
“Betty’s letters to Bert were in a big, jumbled pile in the loft in an open box and could easily have been thrown out with other paper rubbish up there. But Betty had organised all hers from Bert into a sealed metal box, which were kept under their bed until they died.
“Bert gave them to me as I am a writer and he hoped I would write about them, knowing they were an important record of the time.’’
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‘‘I was intrigued and moved to discover myself, named ‘Ann’ in the letters, as the baby they longed for for several years before I made an appearance!
“Both of them would have loved opportunities being given for youngsters to learn
performing skills, with professionals through Be Amazing Arts.
“They greatly enjoyed the theatre themselves”
Letters from Betty runs from 27th- 30th August 6pm, 7pm, 8pm & 9pm each evening at Eden Camp, Malton.