KinderTransport is a two Act play for a small number of characters, five females and four males but is set over two eras, 1939 and 1980.
The Female Characters:
Jennie Atkinson (Lil), Stephenie Georgia (Helga), Mandy Philips (Evelyn), Nicola Fleck (Faith) and Martha Robertson (Eva).
Our Costume Co-ordinator Fiona Smith was able to source most of our costumes from our extensive Wardrobe with the earlier era being original costumes.
The play starts in 1939 with Eva (Martha), aged nine and continues with Eva's life in England up to the age of 17. This is the only costume Martha changed into in the dressing room, the rest being quick changes in the wings. All her costumes were original (and you might recognise this dress from Thrill of Love!).
Eva's mother Helga (Stephenie) required two costumes, one for when she was an elegant German mother as seen here in an original dress from the 1930s to wearing dark ill fitting clothes after the war having survived the concentration camps. Stephenie found a matching hairpiece which she could remove for the latter period greatly changing her appearance.
Lil (Jennie) was the English foster mother who took Eva into her home and family in 1939 and is the only character to play across the two eras, being the Granny to Faith in 1980. As there was no time to change we sought a costume that fitted the 1939 era, but might have still have been worn by Lil aged 80. Again this is an original 1950/60s dress and Jennie wore accessories which belonged to her aunt and mother in 1980. Her shoes were also her own originals from the 1980s.
Jennie's hair was dressed in 1940s style rolled back curls each night by Zoe Galbraith, which required heated rollers and much persuasion and hairspray!
Evelyn was the older Eva, played by Mandy, purely in the 1980 set. Her blouse is one of many held in the wardrobe from that period. Her character was an avid cleaner so the peenie was very significant.
Faith (Nicola) was Evelyn's daughter and Lil's granddaughter age indeterminate but just about to leave home to go to college, hence the reason for being in the attic looking for "junk" as Evelyn put it to take with her for her new flat. Nicola used a ton of hairspray every night to get her hair up and frizzed and bought clothes and accessories which summed up the 1980s.
Nicola's make up was pure 80s with loads of colour and blusher.
In the men's dressing room everyone had a long wait - either being on very early in the play or towards the end. All the male parts were a couple of pages long, but were absolutely significant to the way Eva remembered and struggled in later life with people in authority. For the male costumes Fiona was working in 1939.
The first male character on stage was the German Officer, played by Kevin Briggs.
Once Eva arrived in England she was met by the "Organiser" played by Andy Long.
In Act 2 the young Eva, now staying with Lil, receives a parcel from her mother in Germany, delivered by Postman (David Smith) in "ze German style". This was a navy jacket adjusted with braid and labels to look authentic for the period.
Very late in the play Cameron Mackenzie entered the stage as the Station Guard. It was certainly a long wait for his role!
Costumes play a huge role in ensuring the play looks right on stage, but also have to be comfortable for the actors to get around the stage or manage a quick change when necessary. Fiona and her team did a wonderful job of ensuring both and many of those coming to the performances commented on the detail in terms of the costumes which all looked so authentic.
Costume Co-ordinator
Fiona Smith
Supported by:
Louise Cheyney
Martine Hall
Joyce Williamson
