The theatre performance called PLAY Through The Borders was held in Czech School Without Borders, London on Sunday 15th September 2018. The performance was prepared by Michaela Váňová (screenplay and directed by her herself), a Czech actress and a theatrical lecturer of Czech Theatre Minor. The solo performance inspired by the real stories of children from so-called Kindertransports was accompanied by the music of David Hlaváč. The performance took place in the library two times, firstly for children from the fifth and the sixth class, secondly for the pupils of the seventh, eighth and the ninth class.
The Kindertransports were the main topic of the play. The kindertransports were trains with Jewish children going from Czechoslovakia to Great Britain thanks to Sir Nicholas Winton so who rescued over 600 children from going to concentration camps. The actress, Michaela Váňová was inspired by the real stories of rescued “Nicholas Winton´s children.” In the play, Michaela is a nine-year-old Jewish girl Hana that is waiting on the small train station in Great Britain in 1939. She is waiting for her new adoptive parents and she realizes that no one understands her. Through paintings, music, dancing movements and mainly words she explains her Jewish origin, the situation in Czechoslovakia and the reason why she had to leave her country.
After the performance, there was a place for the questions and discussion so children could ask about the time of the play, about the story or the performance itself. Children were interested in the play very much, they discussed together how they would behave in the similar situation, they also added their own stories and facts they have read, heard at English schools or they were told by their older relatives.
The performance in the Czech language with the educational idea supported the breaking of language and cultural barriers; it also supported the intercultural thinking and the feeling of national identity of Czech people living abroad.