EVERY school holidays local actor Leith Arundel appears in two moving performances: “Last Letters” and “Radio Silence” at the Australian War Memorial, presenting the experiences of women in wartime.

“The performances help to acknowledge the fact that women have been present because a lot of the content at the War Memorial is male oriented,” Leith says.

In the first performance, “Last Letters”, Leith plays  she brings alive the experience of a World War I nurse.

In “Radio Silence”, she portrays Violet, a World War II radio operator.

“It helps people get some idea about what it was like to be there during the war. We try to recreate that tension and being just one step away from despair,” she says.

“I make people cry every time I do a show.”

The shows go for less than 15 minutes each and are suitable for all age groups.

Women in War performances at the Australian War Memorial, Thursday to Sunday, January 5–8, 12–15 and 19–22 at 11.40 am, 12.40 pm and 1.40 pm.