Synopsis
Explore Lewis Murphy’s Belongings in our archive.
Somewhere, there are bombs dropping.
Accompanied by their schoolteacher, Helen, a group of evacuees board the train from London to Lewes to escape the Blitz, singing of the exciting adventure they anticipate in the countryside. With them is Maggie, who says goodbye to her husband, Ted, as she leaves for the safety of the countryside with their baby.
Meanwhile, in the present day, a group of refugee children are re-building their recently demolished shelters. Volunteer aid worker, Theo, arrives at the camp hoping to help, and meets two refugee women: Hallamah and Marjana.
In Lewes, time passes and the evacuees’ optimism fades, as they begin to pine for home; one group begins to plot to run away. Helen tries to keep their spirits up, and Maggie finally gets news of Ted from London.
A fight breaks out in the refugee camp, and Hallamah tries to reunite the group with a vision of their future hopes. In the end, however, she can’t stop some of the children from attempting to make the dangerous final stage of their journey.
Laura Attridge
Librettist