‘The Arrival’, Frank Meisler’s memorial, which stands outside Liverpool Street Station, serves as a reminder every day to thousands of London commuters, of the children who arrived in London as part of the Government organised Kindertransport. Ten Thousand unaccompanied, and mainly Jewish children, escaped the horrific fate of their parents during the Second World War by being taken in by British foster families.
Twenty Five years since its first performance and Diane Samuels’ Kindertransport sets out again, this time, perhaps fittingly, as a UK Tour. This deeply meaningful play sees two worlds collide, as two daughters prepare to leave home, neither sure what lies ahead of them. For one, the circumstances are not so severe, she’s simply leaving the family nest, but while packing belongings in the attic discovers her own mothers life-saving trip via the hook of Holland.
The two stories intertwine beautifully, with the story of young Eva’s arrival at her new home in Manchester pairing with the story being told in later years. The attic, symbolising the older Eva (now Evelyn’s) psyche, sees portions being lifted to create railway platforms and divisions in line with the plot. Director, Anne Simon has made good use of the space to create the feeling of being trapped, which all the characters face at one point or another. Matthew Brown’s Ratcatcher is occasionally obscured to one side of the audience, but lighting and music make up for what cannot be seen.
The remaining all-female cast, however, are not left in the shadows. Jenny Lee as Lil gives a wonderful performance as the foster mother who lets her young charge smoke but feels the overwhelming urge to protect her. Lee must flit between past and present timelines, keeping the audience engaged with subtle alterations between the younger and older character.
Leila Schaus, as Eva, does an excellent job of ‘growing up’ right in front of us. From the ten year old with a strong German accent to the seventeen year old, who has come to accept her new life, with an accent and mannerisms remarkably close to her present day counterpart (Suzan Sylvester).
Three other statues match ‘The Arrival’, located in Germany, Poland and Holland, but Diane Samuels’ Kindertransport feels like it should be the fifth memorial to these rescued children. While the play doesn’t necessarily examine the wider context of the era it does focus on the family upheaval with pinpoint accuracy.
