Reviews / A ‘masterful production’ that showcased the talents of Islesburgh Drama Group
LAST WEEK, Islesburgh Drama Group (IDG) brought Diane Samuels’ Kindertransport to life with a gripping and poignant production, directed by Morag Mouat, writes Helen Kerr.
This local amateur dramatic group delivered a deeply affecting performance that demonstrated not only the power of the play’s themes but also the immense talent of the cast. With stellar acting, thoughtful staging, and an unflinching exploration of trauma, identity, and survival, Islesburgh Drama Group has once again proved its artistic strength.
First performed in 1993, Kindertransport delves into the historical and emotional reverberations of the Kindertransport rescue missions during World War II, which brought thousands of Jewish children to safety in Britain.
Samuels’ play moves fluidly between past and present, focusing on the story of Eva, a young Jewish girl sent from Germany to Manchester, and Evelyn, her adult self, whose daughter Faith unearths long-buried truths about her mother’s past.
Through this intimate family drama, the play examines identity, loss, and the complex choices made in the face of survival.
The cast of IDG’s production delivered outstanding performances, showcasing the nuanced emotions and psychological depths of their characters. While all the performances were rich with depth and raw with emotion, a standout for me was seasoned IDG performer Mandy Phillips. She portrayed Evelyn with remarkable intensity, capturing her character’s deep internal conflict.
There were moments when she was stoic and determined – her interactions with her daughter Faith led to some tense moments familiar with so many mother-daughter exchanges. The emotional intensity and dynamic interactions between the two characters made their scenes particularly compelling.
As the play progressed, the audience began to realise how these were more than just the typical spats than can occur among family. Evelyn’s controlled exterior cracked open at key moments, and Phillips’ performance allowed the audience to feel the weight of her experiences – where they had brought her from and what they had left her with.
Nicola Fleck brought her usual brilliance to this role of the inquisitive daughter Faith. I have long said that Fleck is one of IDG’s accomplished performers. She captured her character’s frustration, curiosity, and vulnerability with precision.
The young Eva was played by Martha Robertson, a newcomer to IDG who gave a stunningly powerful performance. Robertson’s portrayal of Eva’s transformation from a hopeful child to a girl grappling with fear, alienation, and loss was deeply moving. She perfectly captured the confusion and the acceptance that must have been felt by so many children like her.
Robertson’s innocent depiction of Eva highlighted for the audience the cruelty and reality of the life she had to lead. The emotional depth and stage presence evidenced in Robertson’s acting has surely marked her as a talent to watch in the future.
Meanwhile, Jennie Atkinson offered some much-needed moments of light relief as Lil, Eva’s warm-hearted foster mother. Atkinson balanced humour and gravity with skill, creating a grounded, compassionate figure who acted as an anchor in Eva’s journey to adulthood as Evelyn. Loveable and affable, Atkinson’s characterisation added a softness and relatability.
Helga, Eva’s biological mother, was portrayed by Stephanie Georgia in a performance that was both haunting and deeply moving. Georgia skilfully conveyed the complexities of Helga’s character, making it hard to judge her decisions. The audience was left wrestling with whether to sympathise with her sacrifice or question her strict adherence to duty.
There were times when she seemed stern and distanced from her daughter – times when as an audience we couldn’t detect the compassion we were hoping for. Then there were times, heart-wrenching even, when Georgia’s Helga was just a mother trying to do her best – just someone who could be anyone like us, trapped in what seemed to be impossible circumstances in a time we know so much about but have so little experience of.
Minor characters, entertaining in places and somewhat sinister in others, enabled the journey of young Eva from displacement to endurance to be fully witnessed by the audience. These characters were distant, unnamed, officious and while I recall their costumes to be of their time, there is also little to recollect. They were uniform and indistinct in many ways – another reminder that Eva’s life story was marked by people and circumstance beyond her control.
One of my favourite aspects of this play was the thoughtful simplicity to the production. The decision to use a static set with distinct areas for the past and present ensured the focus remained on the actors and their powerful performances.
Downstage represented Eva’s life in Germany, while the attic space upstage symbolised Evelyn and Faith’s discovery of the past. There was a cold simplicity to Eva’s early life – bare furniture and sparse belongings. But the attic alluded to a deep warmth and connection with family. While some of the set pieces were somewhat stereotypical – a rocking horse, boxes of old crockery, aging books and papers – these also brought the contrast they needed. The attic became the memory young Eva needed as girl to have when she became a woman – one of love, and of family, and of connection.
By avoiding elaborate set changes, Mouat allowed the performances to take centre stage, highlighting the raw emotional power of the story. The starkness of the set underscored the themes of displacement and survival, making the audience’s focus on the characters’ journeys even sharper.
Islesburgh Drama Group’s Kindertransport was a masterful production that showcased the talents of its cast and creative team. Each performance was finely tuned, and the minimalist staging amplified the emotional weight of the story. Morag Mouat’s direction brought a cohesive vision to the production, ensuring that every element served the play’s themes and characters.
The decision to take on such a challenging and emotionally charged play speaks to the ambition and dedication of Islesburgh Drama Group.
This was not just a theatrical performance; it was an experience that resonated deeply with the audience, leaving them reflecting on the resilience of the human spirit and the indelible impact of the past on the present. Another unforgettable evening of drama.
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