Hans Gál’s bilingual comic revue tells the story of refugees from Nazi Europe who were interned as enemy aliens in Britain in 1940/41. It was produced by the Brundibar Festival with professional forces in a new, dramatised version based on the composer’s diary ‘Music behind Barbed Wire’. The show was developed and directed by Robert Hersey in collaboration with Norbert Meyn, utilising the research of the Music, Migration and Mobility project.
The two performances took place at the Gosforth Civic Theatre in Newcastle on January 23, 2025, the first one for about 200 school children who also attended educational workshops about migration and refugees, and the second for the enthusiastic audience of the Brundibar festival.
‘As we commemorate the 80th anniverary of the liberation of Auschwitz, it is also important to remember the survivors and their determination not to loose their good humour even under the most difficult circumstances. At one point in the show, festival Director Alexandra Raikhlina, who was on stage as a violinist, had to laugh so much she almost dropped her violin.’
Tessa Szyszkowitz, Falter.maily
OVERTURE: The magnificient Huyton Suite, composed by Hans Gál for two violins and a flute, the only instruments available in the internment camp near Liverpool, played by Kyra Humphreys, Alexandra Raikhlina and Charlotte Ashton.
THE BALLAD OF POOR JACOB, a melodrama about the eternal wandering refugee as a scapegoat, with words by Norbert Elias. Enacted by Philip Harrison (middle), with Simon Wallfisch (left) and Norbert Meyn (right)
JOIN THE REFUGEES, SEE THE WORLD! Humour from WW2 refugees who had to travel all over the world to find someone to take them in, captured in Hans Gál’s diary ‘Music behind Barbed Wire’.
BALLAD OF THE GERMAN REFUGEE: performed by baritone Simon Wallfisch, pretending to play a ‘harp’ strung with barbed wire, recreated from the original poster of the show.
THE SEAGULLS on the Isle of Man are wondering why barbed wire is growing on the shore. The Song of the Seagull, performed by tenor Norbert Meyn.
DOUBLE BED SONG, perfored by Simon Wallfisch (left). During internment in boarding houses on the Isle of Man, two men usually had to share a small double bed.
PUT THAT LIGHT OUT! Dancing to a catchy tune that mocks the camp sentries trying to enforce the blackout, even mistaking a reflection of the moon for a light in a window.
THE CAST from left to right: Piano: Yoshie Kawamura, Baritone: Simon Wallfisch, Flute: Charlotte Ashton, Violin: Kyra Humphreys, Director: Robert Hersey, Violin: Alexandra Raikhlina, Viola: Anna Barsegjana, Cello: Gabriel Waite, Clarinet: Dov Goldberg, Tenor: Norbert Meyn, Actor: Philip Harrison
EXHIBITION: The Royal College of Music’s mobile exhibition ‘Music, Migration and Mobiliy - The Legacy of Migrant Musicians from Nazi Europe in Britain’, shown alongside the performances at the Gosforth Civic Theatre in Newcastle
FEATURED ON BBC LOOK NORTH: The production and the Brundibar Festival were featured on
BBC Look North on Monday January 27.
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