PUPILS of The Whitby High School have been treated to an exclusive performance of a new play – penned by their English teacher.

A cast of second year University of Chester drama students staged Letters from Otto on Thursday in front of 275 Year 8 students.

English teacher Maggie Cooper wrote the script last year, while studying for a masters degree at the university.

The play is based on the correspondence of Otto Frank – father of Anne – to his mother.

Maggie settled on the subject after hearing Otto’s nephew Buddy Elias, who found the letters in his attic, speaking in London last year.

“They shed new light on the Frank family and I decided to use them to create a new play as part of my MA,” said Maggie.

She emailed the completed script to Buddy Elias and the Anne Frank Foundation, who gave their blessing for the play to be performed in public.

“It went really well,” added Maggie.

“The pupils really enjoyed it and the students were really brilliant.”

The cast will return to The Whitby High School tomorrow (Thursday) to lead an acting workshop based around the themes of the play.