Kindertransport

by Diane Samuels

EVA. I not know . . .

  LIL. Yes you do. Where have you been?

  EVA. Ich bin verantwortlich. Ich muss es machen. (It’s all up to me. I have to.)

  LIL. Not the German, Eva.

  EVA. Ich muss sie befreien. Ich muss sie befreien. (I have to get them out. There’s no one else.)

  LIL. Don’t hide behind the German. It won’t protect you and you know it.

  EVA. Du darfst mich nicht hindern. Du darfst nicht! (You mustn’t try to stop me. You mustn’t.)

  LIL. In English! English!

  EVA. Nicht englisch! Deutsch! Ich bin Deutsche! (Not English! German! I’m German!)

  LIL. I’ve had enough of this, you little snake! Bloody stop it!

  EVA (sobbing). No good. No good.

  LIL. Cut out the snivels! Now! I want facts from you! True ones! Where’ve you been!

  EVA. English lesson.

  LIL. How long for?

  EVA. Two hours.

  LIL. It’s half past six now.

  EVA. Walk home slow.

  LIL. You’re not learning English.

  EVA. You not like . . .

  LIL. If there’s one thing I cannot stand, it’s a little liar! Where’ve you been!

  EVA. Please . . .

  LIL. Now! Before I chuck you out and never let you back in!

  EVA. I can’t.

  LIL. You bloody well better had!

  EVA. Promise not stop me.

  LIL. No promises. Truth.

  EVA. Please . . .

  LIL. Now!

  EVA. Out walking.

  LIL. Where?

  EVA. Streets. Knocking on doors.

  LIL. What doors?

  EVA. Big houses. Rich people.

  LIL. Eva!

  EVA. I say about (Pronouncing very carefully.) Butler and Housekeeper and Chauffeur and Gardener.

  LIL. And what do they say?

  EVA. ‘We have already got.’ Or some want to give tea and be sorry. Gentleman gave money at me.

  LIL. The shame of it. What on earth d’you think we put an ad in for! To pass the time and have a laugh?

  EVA. Sorry.

  LIL. Don’t you trust me! What good is it if you don’t bloody trust me.

  EVA. Sorry.

  LIL. I took you in didn’t I! Said I’d look after you! Why’d you throw it back in my face! Walking the streets like some begging little orphan!

  EVA. Do not throw me out. Please.

  LIL. Of course, I’m not going to throw you out!

  EVA. Please. Nowhere else to go.

  LIL (gentler). Of course, I’m not going to throw you out.

  EVA. Even if I’m naughty.

  LIL. Not even if you’re naughty.

  LIL hugs EVA.

  EVA. Want to be with them.

  LIL. You can’t be. Not now.

  EVA. When?

  LIL. Sooner or later.

  EVA. I have to get permits.

  LIL. Just be glad you’re safe.

  EVA. What good me to be safe?

  LIL. Better than no one being safe, isn’t it?

  EVA. I must to help . . .

  LIL. You are doing.

  EVA. But jobs . . .

  LIL. . . . are being found for them.

  EVA drops her head.

  Be a bit patient won’t you?

  EVA shrugs.

  Cheer up and give them out there good reason to be happy. Else what’ve they got to smile for?

  EVA shrugs.

  Well. What’ve they got?

  EVA (quietly. German). Nichts.

  LIL. What’s that?

  EVA (louder. German). Nichts. Nothing.

  LIL. That’s right, little getaway. Nothing.

  EVA exits.

  FAITH. Did Dad know about this?

  LIL. Don’t go telling him.

  FAITH. He must have had some idea.

  LIL. He had no reason to know any more than you did.

  The door opens. EVELYN enters.

  EVELYN. There’s a beautifully laid table with a cold pot of tea on it in the kitchen.

  LIL. We got waylaid.

  EVELYN. Why are you both still in here? Come on out and I’ll lock the door.

  FAITH does not move.

  LIL (to EVELYN). You go down. I’m just getting something sorted.

  EVELYN. Can’t you do that elsewhere?

  EVELYN sees the toys.

  Oh Faith, what on earth have you been doing?

  EVELYN starts to tidy up the dolls.

  LIL. I told her to put them away.

  EVELYN. It’s probably far better if I deal with it.

  LIL. Don’t bother yourself, love.

  EVELYN. You two go down.

  FAITH. Why did you keep those dolls?

  EVELYN. I’m sorry?

  FAITH. You used to throw them in the bin as if they were rubbish.

  EVELYN. I hardly think so, darling.

  FAITH. I remember.

  EVELYN. Maybe once when you’d made a terrible mess.

  FAITH. You did it all the time. I never expected to find them up here. I always thought you must have thrown them all away for good.

  EVELYN. I wouldn’t do that.

  FAITH. I found a box of letters and photographs.

  LIL. Let’s boil up a fresh kettle.

  FAITH. I don’t want any tea.

  LIL. Faith.

  FAITH. How can I pretend that nothing has happened?

  EVELYN. Darling, you really do not need to get so distressed about the smallest thing.

  LIL. I’ll put them away . . .

  EVELYN. No, Mum, please. I’d much rather do it myself.

  FAITH. I found this book too.

  LIL. Watch yourself.

  EVELYN tidies up.

  FAITH. Would you like to see the book?

  EVELYN. We’d better have tea soon or it’ll be time for dinner.

  FAITH. You remember the story of the Ratcatcher, don’t you? This must be your book. It’s not at all like I imagined. It’s in German.

  LIL. No more, Faith.

  FAITH. Mum, tell me about Eva Schlesinger.

  EVELYN (to LIL). What have people been saying?

  LIL (to EVELYN). Don’t look at me.

  EVELYN. Will you please put that book back where you found it.

  FAITH. Talk to me.

  EVELYN. There is nothing to talk about.

  FAITH. Please tell me the truth about yourself.

  EVELYN (turning to LIL). Mum?

  LIL (to FAITH). You shouldn’t have brought it up.

  FAITH. I can’t un-know it.

  EVELYN. Whatever it is you think you’ve discovered. You must forget it.

  FAITH. Of course I can’t forget it.

  EVELYN. I certainly have.

  FAITH. You do admit that you were Eva Schlesinger then?

  EVELYN. No I didn’t . . . Did I? . . . No . . .

  EVELYN goes blank.

  FAITH. Mum?

  EVELYN (to LIL). Why can’t she respect my privacy?

  LIL. I told her that she shouldn’t have looked.

  FAITH. I don’t see why not.

  LIL (to FAITH). Why can’t you give over sometimes.

  EVELYN. It’s perfectly alright.

  FAITH. Are you ok, Mum?

  EVELYN. We’ll all agree to let it be.

  FAITH. What do you mean?

  EVELYN (looking at the papers and photos). Mum, would you mind putting them all away?

  LIL (clearing up). I don’t know why you had to hold onto it all anyway.

  EVELYN. They need sifting. I never could . . . There’s some documents in there . . . I have to keep those . . . the rest needed throwing away years ago.

  FAITH. You mustn’t throw them away. Let me have them.

  EVELYN (to FAITH). I don’t want you getting involved with all that. No. (To Lil). She mustn’t. It’s got nothing to do with her.

  FAITH. It has got something to do with me.

  EVELYN. It has got nothing to do with you at all.


  FAITH. I want to know about you.

  EVELYN. You do know about me.

  FAITH. And my grandparents.

  LIL (to EVELYN). You’ll have to talk to her.

  EVELYN. I think, Faith, that this conversation must come to a close.

  FAITH. Don’t do this, Mother. You always do this. It only makes things worse.

  EVELYN. We cannot continue to discuss the subject profitably.

  EVELYN makes to exit.

  LIL. You can’t leave it like this, Evelyn.

  FAITH leaps in front of her and bars the door.

  FAITH. I’m not letting it go.

  EVELYN. What is wrong with you?

  FAITH. Do you have any idea what it’s like having a mother who walks out on you the moment you begin to disagree with her? Who polishes and cleans like a maniac?

  EVELYN. Pull yourself together.

  FAITH. Pull myself together? You’re so paranoid you go stiff at every speck of dust or object out of place in your precious home . . .

  EVELYN. I care about where I live. I know what it’s worth.

  FAITH. You can’t go on a train without hyper-ventilating. You cross the road if you see a policeman or traffic warden.

  EVELYN. How ridiculous.

  FAITH. I’ve watched your panic attacks. All that shaking and gulping like you’re going to die. But always it’s me who’s getting things out of proportion because I get scared by them.

  EVELYN. Look at you now.

  FAITH. I have never been a good enough daughter.

  EVELYN. What are you talking about?

  FAITH. I’ve always thought it was my fault that you were so unhappy.

  EVELYN. I am not unhappy. Heavens knows why you are.

  FAITH. Because of you.

  EVELYN. Don’t talk such nonsense.

  FAITH. Because all you’ve given me is a pack of lies.

  LIL. Watch what you say, Faith.

  EVELYN. I have never lied to you.

  FAITH. Don’t try making out I’m making this up. I’ve got proof. Look. Evidence.

  EVELYN. You’re hysterical.

  EVELYN tries to leave again. FAITH continues to block her way.

  FAITH. Jesus. How could I possibly not be a bad child with such a terrible mother!

  LIL. That’s enough.

  FAITH. A fucking, awful, lying cow of a mother.

  EVELYN. How dare you.

  LIL. You don’t know the half of it, madam.

  EVELYN. Have you finished?

  FAITH. Why did you never explain about yourself?

  EVELYN. Have you quite finished?

  FAITH. I could kill you.

  LIL (going for FAITH). I’ll bloody kill you first!

  FAITH runs away. LIL follows her.

  Pipe music. The shadow of the RATCATCHER looms.

  EVA. He’s coming.

  EVELYN. Stop.

  EVA. His eyes are sharp as knives.

  EVELYN. Be quiet.

  EVA. He’ll cut off my nose.

  EVELYN. He’s not coming.

  EVA. He’ll burn my fingers till they melt.

  EVELYN. You’ve not done anything wrong.

  EVA. He’ll pull out my hair one piece at a time.

  EVELYN. You’re a good girl.

  EVA. Don’t let him come. Please!

  EVELYN. He won’t come.

  EVA. He will.

  EVELYN. I promise. I won’t let him. I’ll do everything I can to stop him. You’ll see. You’re with me now. He can’t touch me. Do you understand? I’m here. You’re being looked after. I won’t go away. I’ll make it all disappear. I’ll get rid of him. He won’t take you anywhere ever again.

  End of Act One.

  ACT TWO

  Scene One

  The room is dim. The air is stale and smoke-filled.

  EVELYN’s clothes and hair are unkempt. Beside her is an ashtray containing a large number of cigarette stubs.

  Around her sit HELGA with the Rattenfänger book and a curled-up EVA.

  HELGA (to EVA). Do you understand what I mean about your being my jewels?

  EVA. That’s not in the story.

  HELGA. Do you understand?

  EVA. Sort of.

  HELGA. We all die one day, but jewels never fade or perish. Through our children we live. That’s how we cheat death.

  EVA. You’re not going to die are you?

  HELGA. Not yet.

  EVA. Not for a long time.

  HELGA. I hope not.

  EVA. Promise me.

  HELGA. Promise me you’ll be a good girl in England.

  EVA. I promise.

  A tap on the door. Pause. Another tap, louder. Pause.

  FAITH (off). Mum.

  Pause.

  (Off. Louder.) Mum! The door’s still locked.

  Pause.

  (Off.) Please let me in.

  Pause.

  (Off.) Please, Mum.

  EVELYN. I am not coming out.

  FAITH (off). You can’t just stay in there.

  EVELYN. Can I not?

  FAITH (off). What about dinner?

  EVELYN. Eat without me.

  FAITH (off). What about tonight?

  EVELYN. Leave me alone.

  FAITH (off). This is crazy.

  Pause.

  (Off.) I’m sorry about what I said.

  Pause.

  (Off.) Mum? Can you still hear me?

  EVELYN. Go away.

  FAITH (off). I’m worried about you.

  EVELYN. It’s too late.

  Pause.

  FAITH (off). Mum.

  EVELYN. I’m going to stop talking to you now.

  FAITH (off). Shit!

  Silence.

  EVELYN. I didn’t bring you up to speak as if your mouth were filled with sewage.

  A man’s voice repeating ‘Sieg Heil’ is heard.

  The POSTMAN enters. He is frog-marching, making a Hitler moustache on his upper lip with the index finger of one hand and doing the Nazi salute with the other.

  POSTMAN. Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!

  POSTMAN takes out a parcel.

  German parcel delivered in ze German style.

  POSTMAN clicks his heels together, stands to attention and holds out the parcel.

  Pretty convincing, eh?

  EVA. German peoples not do the finger under the nose.

  POSTMAN. But the moustache is the most important thing about him.

  EVA. You do fun. German people not do fun.

  POSTMAN. No. They wouldn’t.

  POSTMAN marches without the moustache.

  What about the marching?

  EVA. I not know how do marching.

  POSTMAN. I thought everyone in Boche Land learnt to march. Children ’n all.

  EVA. Only some. Hitler Jugend.

  POSTMAN. What’s that?

  EVA. Children army. I not in it.

  POSTMAN. They must’ve taught you to ‘Sieg Heil’?

  EVA. In school. Do this.

  She stands to attention and salutes.

  ‘Heil Hitler!’

  POSTMAN. Have to do that a lot, did you?

  EVA. Too much.

  POSTMAN. Not very fond of Hitler are you?

  EVA. He not a good man.

  POSTMAN. Thought he’d done wonderful things for your country.

  EVA. Not for my family.

  POSTMAN. Did you ever see him though?

  EVA. See Hitler?

  POSTMAN. Did you?

  EVA. One time.

  POSTMAN. Went to one of them rallies was it?

  EVA. Not rally. In Hamburg city. He in car. Me on street. Lots people. They shout very loud.

  POSTMAN. Did he smell?

  EVA. Smell?

  POSTMAN. Everyone knows he smells. All Germans smell. Well-known fact.

  EVA. Not me.

  POSTMAN. That’s coz you’ve been here a bit. It’s started to fade.

  EVA (smelling herself). Girls in school in Hamburg say I smell.
>
  POSTMAN. That’s not very nice of them.

  EVA. Which smells more, German or Jew?

  POSTMAN. Same difference, love.

  EVA. Thank you for the parcel.

  POSTMAN. Thank you for the lesson in saluting (He salutes.) Heil Hitler!

  EVA watches.

  POSTMAN. Do it back. Heil Hitler!

  EVA. Heil Hitler!

  POSTMAN exits.

  EVA carefully unwraps the parcel.

  HELGA. To the very best daughter any parents could wish for. The jobs. The permits. Thank you.

  EVA. It wasn’t all me.

  HELGA. You have opened the door to a new and hopeful life.

  EVA. Mrs Miller did as much as I did.

  HELGA. Not long now. And then all of us together again. As I promised.

  EVA takes out of the parcel the Rattenfänger book, a letter and a Haggadah for Passover.

  Your storybook. I know how much you like it.

  EVA opens the letter.

  I also enclose your Haggadah for Passover.

  EVA. When is Passover?

  HELGA. I hear that there are lots of Jews in Manchester.

  EVA. Is it before or after Easter?

  HELGA. It will be easy to celebrate seder night with some of them.

  EVA. Maybe it’s happened already.

  HELGA. We will be having a small seder. Not like the big ones we used to have.

  EVA. I can’t ask Mrs Miller to do a seder.

  HELGA. ‘Why is this night different from all other nights?’ What will we do without you to sing the questions for us? What is a seder without the presence of the youngest child?

  EVA. She’d think it was silly.

  HELGA. We have never been a very religious family, Eva. But this has to do with more than religion.

  EVA. Next year when they’re here. I’ll do it then.

  HELGA. The Passover story has special meaning for us.

  EVA. Maybe I could just read the Haggadah to myself. Would that count?

  HELGA. Remember how the Israelites had to endure hard labour.

  EVA. Some of it’s quite boring though.

  HELGA. How every son was thrown into the Nile.

  EVA. The ten plagues upon the Egyptians is good.

  HELGA. And Moses led the Israelites out of slavery and the waves of the Red Sea parted to let them through.

  EVA. And when all the Egyptians follow into the path between the waves and get drowned. They deserved it.

  HELGA. We must tell the story not as if it was experienced only by our ancestors but as if it happened to us. Not legend but truth. ‘This is what happened to ME when I came out of Egypt.’ This is how we survived and this is how we survive.

  EVA. When did there stop being miracles?

  HELGA. And remember the four sons: the wise son, the bad son, the stupid son and the son who doesn’t even know what to ask. Try to be like the wise son, Eva.