KINDETRANSPORT To 9 June.
London/Tour.
KINDERTRANSPORT
by Diane Samuels.
Hampstead Theatre To 26 May.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat 3pm, 16 May 2.30pm, 23 May 3pm.
then Tour to 9 June 2007.
Audio-described 12 May 3pm.
Captioned 15 May.
Post-show discussion: Tuesdays.
Runs 2hr 5min One interval.
TICKETS: 020 7722 9301.
www.hampsteadtheatre.com
Review: Harriet Davis 26 April.
Slow train to narrative destination.
Shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, ten thousand children, mostly Jewish, were sent from Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Austria to live temporarily in Britain. Many of their parents subsequently died at the hands of the Nazis, and many more were unable to trace their children years later.
Diane Samuels’ somewhat heavy-handed play charts the story of one such family, focusing on the experiences of Eva – later re-named Evelyn – who, in late middle age, is attempting to reconcile her feelings of guilt towards her now all-but-forgotten Jewish family. At nine years old, Eva went to live in Manchester with the kindly Mrs Miller, and between 1939 and 1947 came to erase all traces of her former life. But a discovery by Eva’s own daughter threatens to unveil Eva’s true identity, forcing her to come to terms with her difficult past.
The play is effectively split in two, juxtaposing Eva’s tumultuous relationship with Mrs Miller in the 1940s, to her relationship with her daughter forty years later. The plot is thinly spread, with the majority of the action taking place in the past, leaving the scenes set in the 1980s feeling rather insubstantial. There is much re-treading of old ground, and the argument between Eva and her daughter Faith (Lily Bevan) soon becomes tired.
In addition, there are some sketchy performances on Shared Experience theatre company’s revival. Mrs Miller (M.E.N. Drama Award Winner Eileen O’Brien) is fine; whilst Bevan is wholly unconvincing. Marion Bailey (middle-aged Evelyn) begins well, but her performance descends into melodrama. The Ratcatcher (Alexi Kaye Campbell) is at first arresting – a twisted, nightmarish figure never fully acknowledged by the characters – but he is over-used; his metaphorical function never made explicit.
Jonathon Fensom’s set works well, and Peter Salem’s music appropriately sets the scene. There is however an overarching sense that this play merely scratches the surface. Despite the emotive subject matter, it is a surprisingly unemotional experience.
Evelyn: Marion Bailey.
Faith: Lily Bevan.
Ratcatcher: Alexi Kaye Campbell.
Helga: Pandora Colin.
Eva: Matti Houghton.
Lil (Mrs Miller): Eileen O’Brien.
Director: Polly Teale.
Designer: Jonathon Fensome.
Lighting: Natasha Chivers.
Sound/Composer: Peter Salem.
2007-04-27 09:14:32