Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) - The Film

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

Edna Welthorpe, Joe Orton, Playwright, BAFTA, filmmaker, Christ Shepherd

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THE FILM

Yours Faithfully,

Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)

To celebrate Orton’s comic genius, BAFTA-nominated

filmmaker Chris Shepherd created an animation inspired by the Edna Welthorpe letters.

“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

Stills from Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs),

courtesy of Chris Shepherd Films and Polkadot Productions

THE FILM

Yours Faithfully,

Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)

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

CHRIS SHEPHERD

Stills from Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs), courtesy of Chris Shepherd Films and Polkadot Productions

We decided to give the different stories different styles rather than use the same look throughout, to make the film more visually appealing.

Abigail Addison, Producer

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We decided to give the different stories different styles rather than use the same look throughout, to make the film more visually appealing.

Abigail Addison, Producer

Alison Steadman,

playing Edna Welthorpe

ALISON STEADMAN

Alison Steadman played Kath in Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane in 2001 and is renowned for her roles as Carrie in Nuts In May and Beverly in Abigail’s Party, both directed by Mike Leigh. Her television work includes Fat Friends, Grumpy Old Women, Stressed Eric, Let Them Eat Cake, The Singing Detective, No Bananas, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years, The Missing Postman and the role of Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. She also starred in Gone to the Dogs and Gone to Seed as well as in Hat Trick’s The Worst Week of My Life. More recently she appeared in Gavin & Stacey, Fanny Hill, the BAFTA winning Newshounds and The Syndicate. Film appearances include Shirley Valentine, Life Is Sweet, Topsy Turvy and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. Alison won the Olivier Award for Best Actress for her role as Mari in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She was awarded an OBE in 2000.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Edna was played by Alison Steadman.

Voiceover: Robin Sebastian

Animators and Design: Martha Halliday, Jocie Juritz, Hannah McNally, Chris Shepherd

Assistant Animator: Tom Fisher

Composer: Oliver Davis

Sound Design: Andy Humphreys

Producer: Abigail Addison

Executive Producer: Emma Parker

Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) is a film by Polkadot Productions and Chris Shepherd Films.

To find out more about Chris Shepherd, click here

Yours Faithfully, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs) is a film by Polkadot Productions and Chris Shepherd Films.

To find out more about Chris Shepherd, click here

The film was funded by the University of Leicester and

Arts Council England.