ONE hundred years ago two brothers began a journey from the Isle of Skye to the front lines of the Great War. Their tale, lost among personal letters in a Highland attic, is one of many that feature in an exhibition moving to Eden Court next week.
Curated by the Eden Court Collective, this exhibition is one of the latter chapters in a project that has been ongoing since spring 2014.
The Collective, a company of 16-25 year-olds, assembled from Eden Court CREATIVE youth theatres all across the Highlands, had been working with the Highlanders’ Museum to research their own families’ war stories.
The result of their efforts took the form of a production called A Century Untold; an atmospheric and humbling exploration of personal tales, previously unheard and lost to history. From a resident’s tale of the bombing of Bank Row in Wick to the innovative medical practices developed in field hospitals by a local great grandfather, this unique event shared stories of human insight and quiet moments of humour among such great loss.
To support their production, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots programme, the Collective have also produced an exhibition of their research. The exhibition features original copies of the letters and artefacts that formed the basis of the production, the real stories behind the artistic licence, historical images and photographs, as well as information about the cast members and their connection to the stories. Until now the exhibition has been on display at Fort George Highlander’s Museum, but opens next week at Eden Court following a launch event this Thursday.
Lucy McGlennon, Eden Court CREATIVE manager said: “We’re really excited to have the exhibition on display in the theatre for the next few months, and we would encourage everyone to come and explore it. The exhibition gives us a great sense of the scale of research that went into creating A Century Untold. It still amazes me that we were able to find so many interesting stories that directly link the young people of the Collective to the events of the First and Second World Wars.”
The exhibition launch is taking place at Eden Court Theatre on Thursday 5th March, from 4:30pm.
The invited attendees will be treated to a short presentation from some of the people involved in the project, an excerpt from the performance and a chance to chat to some of the young people about the stories that inspired them.
The final chapter of this year-long project is the release of an online educational resource for schools later in the year. Both primary and secondary schools will be able to access a selection of resources based on the Century Untold project.
As well as a filmed version of A Century Untold, schools can also view the accompanying documentary, and digital versions of some of the artefacts featured in the exhibition. It is hoped that seeing the connection between our local young people in the Collective and the vibrant stories from history will encourage schools and other learners to explore their own heritage.
The exhibition is free and unticketed but schools groups should contact Duncan Overmeer, Eden Court CREATIVE Assistant at dovermeer@eden-court.co.uk to arrange a time to visit.
ENDS
For further information, interview requests or to arrange picture opportunities, please contact Eden Court Marketing Department / marketing@eden-court.co.uk / 01463 239 841
Notes to Editors
Eden Court
- Eden Court is the largest multi-arts venue in Scotland. It re-opened in November 2007 following an extensive redevelopment programme, which saw the addition of two purpose built cinemas, a brand new flexible second theatre space and two dance and education studios.
- Eden Court CREATIVE Arts Workers live and work in ten different areas covering the whole of the Highlands of Scotland, from Nairn to Skye, from Lochaber to Caithness. They specialise in making drama, dance and digital media activities accessible to both children and adults in the Highlands. Eden Court CREATIVE also employs two Additional Support Needs specialists, making the Arts as accessible as possible for the entire community.
- Eden Court is the only theatre in Scotland to offer Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) courses in Drama and Dance. These are extracurricular courses, which offer pupils from across Highland the opportunity to study at Eden Court for an SQA Higher Dance, Drama or Intermediate 2 exams. Aside from Eden Court, there is only one school in the Highlands where pupils can sit SQA Higher Drama exams.
Heritage Lottery Fund
- Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UK and help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported almost 35,000 projects with more than £5.3bn across the UK. hlf.org.uk.
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Eden Court Theatre & Cinema contact details…
Contact: Teresa Bendoris
Phone: 01463239841
Email: marketing@eden-court.co.uk
Website: http://www.eden-court.co.uk
