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Sixth Form and FE students over 16 invited to write a new Edna Welthorpe letter in the spirit of Joe Orton

Graham Robson January 26, 2023

Sixth Form and FE students over 16 are invited to write a new Edna Welthorpe letter in the spirit of Joe Orton.

As well as writing some of the most famous plays of the 1960s, such as Entertaining Mr Sloane (1964), Loot (1965) and What the Butler Saw (1969), Joe Orton penned spoof letters of complaint that satirised social and sexual conservatism. He wrote letters mocking snobbery and homophobia under the pseudonym ‘Mrs Edna Welthorpe’, and sent them to a variety of institutions including Smedley’s Jam, Littlewoods catalogue and the Ritz Hotel.

Letters should be funny but not nasty, insulting or disrespectful to the addressee. It should be no more than 200 words and the deadline for entries is June 30. The winner receives £200

This competition is funded by the University of Leicester through a generous donation by Dame Vivienne Westwood.

For more info, CLICK HERE

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