Promenade piece to tell the story of Kindertransport

An emotive promenade piece will reflect on the 75th year since the first arrival of the Kindertransport in Britain.

Staged at train stations up and down the country, Suitcase will recreate the scenes of bewildered Kindertransport children, the waiting foster parents, transport organisers and bemused railway workers and bystanders.

The site-specific production will blend the tunes of the day with music from the Old Country, under the guidance of musical director Max Reinhardt

Devisor and director Ros Merkin, who is working with her sister and executive producer Jane Merkin, said: "The Kindertransport has always been an important part of our lives as our mother came to Britain on it with her two
sisters.

"Moments from her story have always stayed with us – arriving in a coat made in the 'English fashion', travelling from Vienna to Sunderland, running away to London when she was 15 because the family she was placed with made her leave school to look after their baby. Suitcase wants to mark these moments and these stories in what will be the last major anniversary that many of the kinder can take part."

Suitcase will run at Manchester Piccadilly Station on 21 November and at Liverpool Lime Street Station on 22 November.

– Rebecca Cohen