KinderTransport : Behind the Scenes : Props

 We are exceedingly fortunate in having Karen Erasmuson as our Props Co-ordinator as she is ACE at sourcing, faking, ageing ...... any prop that's needed she's on it !

Karen's job stretched from dressing the set with all those wonderful boxes, cases and attic items .......

..... to tracking down all the small props needed for cast members, such as letters, newspapers, books etc.

She also has everything for us at rehearsals, they might not be the finished item, but we have a prop to work with from day one.

Rehearsal Room Week 1, boxes with the required items and a bucket to sit on!

As the weeks progress more of the actual items start appearing which allows us to be totally familiar with everything before we go into the Garrison Theatre.

Nicola (Faith) checking her side of the set before rehearsals in the Garrison.

Some props are difficult to find and we put a plea out to the Shetland public for the loan of an old fashioned wooden train which was referred to in the script. Unfortunately no one came forward but we were grateful to Terry Atkinson for making one.  Photographs were passed back and forth before it all got glued together to ensure it was right for the period.

Sometimes there is too much choice! A selection of Bakerlite light switches to choose from for the attic door.

The story book of Der Rattenfanger von Hamlyn was used in both eras of the play and had to be robust enough for Faith (Nicola) to throw down in fury each night onto the set. 

These were in fact children's annuals which Karen covered in photocopied papers. They looked very realistic!

And this was the Jewish Haggadah referred to in both eras. This was a very scarce original which Karen managed to track down. The other was a copy that she made, but again it looked very realistic.

The books arrived for Eva (Martha) at the beginning of Act 2 and were wrapped in old style brown paper, string and a wax closure for every dress rehearsal and performance.

Tea and coffee are great ageing ingredients!

Thank you Karen!

Props Co-ordinator

Karen Erasmuson