{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1811263"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1811263/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN9626/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN9626/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PN9626","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1811263","accessionNumber":"S.407-2026","objectType":"postcards","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This postcard is part of a collection that provides insight into the creative life of World War I prisoner of war camps in Europe, where activities such as theatrical and musical performances and film screenings were permitted. Theatres or spaces for performance were sometimes found in Prisoner of War camps during World War I and provided a source of recreation for the prisoners. Performances including plays, musical revues, sketch comedy, and acrobatics displays were allowed in the camps as they were considered morale-boosting and a way of providing a sense of community and normalcy to the prisoners, thereby reducing the risk of disorder, revolt, or escape. For the internees, these leisure activities provided an opportunity for creative expression and mental respite from their experiences on the front, and from their imprisonment and the harsh conditions in the camps. \n\nSome of the performance images generated in the camps are similar to typical posed portraits of performers in character, which were a common method of documenting performance the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  Printed as postcards, these images were made available for purchase and fans would often collect images of their favourite performers, increasing their public profiles. \n\r\nDülmen held male prisoners only, meaning all female roles in camp theatricals were played by men. This speaks to early British theatre history: women were only allowed on stage to perform speaking roles following King Charles II’s lifting of the Puritan ban on theatre in England. \r\n\n","physicalDescription":"This postcard image is a sepia portrait of two soldiers in costume; one is dressed for the character of Shylock and the other is dressed as Portia as Balthasar in <i>The Merchant of Venice</i>, both are standing in front of a scenic backdrop. The image is framed by a white border and is labelled 'DÜLMEN. CAMP THEATRE. \"RADCLIFFE & ENSLY\"/ AS SHYLOCk & PORTIA' and handwritten along the bottom margin: 'Theatre / artists / P.O.W.' The postcard features two further handwritten inscriptions in ink, reading: 'Sincerely yours / Charlie Ensly' and 'All you [illegible] / Your old pal / Stanley Radcliffe'. The reverse of the postcard is stamped with the word Kriegsgefangenensendung, marking this as an item intended for prisoner of war mail. ","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"printing","id":"AAT53319"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Photography, printing","categories":[{"text":"Postcards","id":"THES259949"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2026PN9626"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES402695"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"postcards","id":"AAT26816"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1918","earliest":"1918-01-01","latest":"1918-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Roy Ellen","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"138","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"88","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Theatre / artists / P.O.W.' \r\nand\r\n'Sincerely yours / Charlie Ensly'\r\nand\r\n'All you [illegible] / Your old pal / Stanley Radcliffe","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"This postcard and the others that were accessioned alongside it were collected by British soldier George Frank Ellen (1881-1944), who was a member of the camp orchestra while interned at the Dülmen Prisoner of War camp during World War I. Ellen began his service as a mounted bugler in the territorial East Kent Yeomanry, and later transferred to the Buffs as a Lance Corporal.  He was captured by German forces on the Somme in 1917. \r\n\r\nThe full collection runs from S.379 to 428-2026","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Photo postcard depicting two interned British soldiers in character costume in the Dülmen Prisoner of War camp, 1918.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Dülmen","id":"THES414974"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[{"text":"World War I","id":"V67"}],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.407-2026"],"accessionNumberNum":"407","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2026,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-01","recordCreationDate":"2025-10-17","availableToBook":false}}