Guernsey in WWII – Lotty’s boisterous chasing game with her childhood friend Ben is rudely interrupted by the Battle of Britain raging above Lotty’s modest cottage. From then on the mood turns somber with the arrival of the German occupiers, in her case a German General who commandeers her house, forcing her into the role of housekeeper.
Lotty is played with great subtlety by Olivia Hallihan who dominates the play at all times. Hallihan’s ability to impart anger, terror or mischievous pleasure when she succeeds in undermining the General with no more than a twitch of the lips is reminiscent of a young Diana Rigg. We learn that her father has been killed the day the Germans set foot on the island and now she is not about the relinquish her house and flee to mainland England like other Guernsey women.
The presence of General Rolf Bernberg, played by Mark Letheren, a bit on the light side, causes an increasing tension in the small house, especially as more and more restrictions are imposed on the islanders, such as the banning of radios and the use of boats. Rumours of people being beaten and shot for insignificant misdemeanours reach Lotty who seems to live as a virtual prisoner in her own house. Now, without her radio she is also deprived of listening to her beloved music. At Christmas, whilst hanging decorations, her despair reaches rock bottom and Bernberg makes his move. When they exchange first names it is clear that they have reached the point of no return. Rolf‘s present of a red dress confirms that Lotty, despite all her fiery, defiant protest, is just an attractive young woman who longs to look beautiful after so much hardship.
All through the play her childhood friend Ben, played by Adam Gillen, who believes Lotty was destined to be his wife, comes and goes, castigating Lotty for her relationship with the German whose true colours are not revealed until the food shortages get a stranglehold on Guernsey, for the locals and even more so for the Germans – people resort to gruesome means to feed themselves.
It was mostly left to Olivia Hallihan to create great emotional tension to illustrate the dire situation during the occupation of the Channel Islands. Adam Gillen, in the role of the country boy Ben, had a tendency to mangle his words when he got excited. The General’s costume was somewhat ill-fitting – German high-ranking officers wore hyper-sharp uniforms and immaculate shirts, not simply a creased vest under their uniform jacket and their rigid boots were polished to a high shine.
All in all, a striking and tense play depicting the dangers for any young woman who had the misfortune of falling in love with the occupying enemy. ★★★★☆ Astrid Burchardt 14/10/14
