Family memories of the First World War are being transformed into theatre after a workshop inspired young performers.

Diaries, an army bible and a biscuit barrel made of shells were amongst the items brought in by relatives of those who fought in the war at an event at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

The theatre hosted the event in partnership with Age Exchange to allow Merton residents to share their family experiences as part of a range of celebrations to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the war.

The participants’ stories will be added to the Europeana 1914-18 International Archive, telling the untold stories of the time and how it affected the lives of people in Merton.

It will also be included in a touring exhibition, a documentary film, and will inspire a major new theatre production called Merton’s War performed by youngsters at New Wimbledon Theatre in August this year.

It is timed to be one hundred years after the outbreak of the landmark event.

Merton’s War is a theatre project inspired by the stories gathered from the event on Tuesday, February 4.

A group of young people will work with a professional director to devise and rehearse a piece of contemporary theatre which will be performed at the New Wimbledon Theatre studio on the Friday, August 8.

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