‘Theatre, Crime and Sensation: Mary Elizabeth Braddon in Yorkshire’: Exhibition, Opening Drop-In Session, Talk and Children’s Activity Day
MEBA is pleased to announce that the Braddon Exhibition is once again on display – this time in a bigger and better format, with additional activities, at Beverley Treasure House! You can find out more details, and how to get there, by following this link.
Exhibition
Saturday, 17 September to Saturday 19 November 2016
First Floor Exhibition Space, Treasure House, Beverley
Soho-born Mary Elizabeth Braddon was a nineteenth-century theatrical and literary sensation who shocked Victorians with scandals in both her writing and personal life. Following a daring eight years as an actress on stages across England, which included performances in East Yorkshire, she moved to Beverley to launch her writing career. Her penmanship covered war poetry, detective fiction and the mid-Victorian phenomenon that is ‘sensation fiction’ – novels full of bigamy, kidnap and murder.
This exhibition explores Braddon’s tumultuous professional careers alongside aspects of her own scandalous life, such as living unmarried with her publisher. The exhibition includes a multitude of ‘sensational’ photographs and artefacts from East Riding Archives and Local Studies and Hull History Centre and details how Braddon found life-long creative inspiration from her time spent in Yorkshire.
‘Theatre, Crime and Sensation’ is a partnership project with Dr Janine Hatter of the Mary Elizabeth Braddon Association and the University of Hull’s Centre for Nineteenth-Century Studies.
Opening Drop-In Session
Saturday, 17 September 2016, 10am -12noon
First Floor Exhibition Space, Treasure House, Beverley
Museums Service staff and Dr Janine Hatter from the Mary Elizabeth Braddon Association will be at the Treasure House to answer any questions about our new exhibition. There will be short readings from Braddon’s best-known novel, Lady Audley’s Secret, in the Treasure House Education Room at 10.30am, 11am and 11.30am.
Talk: ‘Sensational Yorkshire: Mary Braddon, Theatre and Crime’
Tuesday, 25 October 2016, 6.30pm
Education Room, Treasure House, Beverley
Dr Janine Hatter will be giving a talk on how Mary Braddon shocked the Victorians in more ways than one. She lived unmarried with her publisher, became an actress and was instrumental in creating ‘sensation fiction’ – novels bursting with bigamy, arson and murder. This talk explores Braddon’s tumultuous professional and personal experiences, including performances in Beverley and Hull, illustrated with materials from East Riding Archives and Hull History Centre. Braddon’s affection for Yorkshire can be seen in much of her writing, which includes poetry, plays and sensation fiction.
TICKETS: £5 per person
Book at www.eastriding.gov.uk/events, call (01482) 392699 (Mon – Fri, 9am – 4pm).
Family Activity Day: ‘Mary Braddon’s Family Halloween’
Saturday, 29 October 2016, 10am – 3pm
Education Room, Treasure House, Beverley
A light-heartedly gothic twist to traditional Halloween children’s crafts, inspired by the Victorian ‘celebrity’, Mary Braddon. Suitable for children of all ages. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
The Braddon Exhibition looks great. I wish you success from Canada.
Peter
Thank you very much, Peter!