Kindertransport

Eva is a German Jewish girl sent to England by her parents prior to the outbreak of the second world war.  Although a fictional character, her story is similar in many ways to that of the thousands of children who made similar journeys. They were taken in by foster families, but held on to the hope that they would one day be re-united with their parents. The subject matter is of course harrowing but written in such a way that for me it came across as being informative rather than over emotional, which was no bad thing.

There were some strong performances in this production. Chrissie Waites really captured the essence of the young Eva from a nine year old, forced to travel to a foreign country for her own safety, through to a confident young woman fully integrated into the English way of life and with a new name, Evelyn.  

Eva’s mother Helga must have been in an emotional turmoil as she prepared her daughter for a life in a new country (even making her sew a button on her coat to help prove she could look after herself).  A very good portrayal by Vanessa Walker of this character who appeared poised, as though afraid of letting her real feelings surface.  Her heartbreak is palpable when Eva refuses to go to America with her when she comes to collect her, as promised, after the war, so that mother and daughter can build a new life together.

An emotional performance from Jaki Newman as the adult Evelyn. This was a woman who had put the past behind her many years ago only to have it unravelled by her own daughter Faith (well played by Jenna Young) when the two are in the attic searching through boxes looking for suitable things for Faith’s new home.  When Faith finds a book written in German along with other unfamiliar items, she starts asking questions, insisting on knowing her true identity.  A good performance from Becky Vincent as Lil who takes a German Jewish child into her home in Manchester.

The Ratcatcher is a rather mysterious character.  The name is taken from the German for Pied Piper and he was well represented  by Andy Prangnell.  To try to analyse this character is to delve into realms which are outside my remit in this report but I will say that all the cameo roles worked well.

This was a very engaging story. It was well directed and the single set of an attic room looked very authentic and worked well, enabling the action to switch from the thirties to the eighties seamlessly with the aid of a good lighting plot and suitable stage props.

I must admit to initially having reservations about the play’s suitability for an enjoyable evening’s entertainment, based as it was on a period that some, like Evelyn, would prefer not to revisit.  A bold choice it may have been, but to my mind it paid off.

My congratulations to all involved and thank you for inviting me.

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