Hitler's Daughter

Jackie French's

Adapted for the stage by Eva Di Cesare, Sandra Eldridge and Tim McGarry

2007	Helpmann Award
	*Best Presentation for Children*
2007	Drover’s Award
	*Touring Excellence*
2006	Drover Special Panel Award
	*for Audience Development*

Directed by Sandra Eldridge
Designed by Imogen Ross
Lighting Design by Luiz Pampolha
Sound/Music by Jeremy Silver
Stage Managed by Zillah Morrow
Originally performed by
Nathan Carter, Tahli Corin, Matthew Goodwin and Mikaela Martin

An historical exhibition of the Holocaust accompanied the tour of the production. This exhibition was developed in coordination with the Sydney Jewish Museum.

The Story

Did Hitler's daughter, Heidi, really exist? Four country children waiting in the rain for the school bus take turns telling stories. In an unusual twist, Anna's story takes the children to Nazi Germany. An intriguing tale about Heidi, a young girl caught in the turmoil of World War II, whose father was one of the most dreaded men in history.

One of the children, Mark, becomes engrossed in Heidi's story. In his conversations with his friends, his teacher and with his parents, he explores the moral and ethical issues the story raises.

This intriguing play poses powerful questions about a frightening period in history and forces us to examine moral issues in relation to society's fears and prejudices in a fresh, compelling light.

Monkey Baa isn't just about putting good books on stage. They show kids how ideas and characters can be translated from one art form into another. They take them on an adventure of the mind and spirit. They make kids think as well as feel.
Country kids may not have a local doctor, or a telephone that works. But thanks to Monkey Baa they do get the magic of theatre.

JACKIE FRENCH

supported by:

The tour

Hitler's Daughter opened at The Arts Centre, Melbourne on 26th April 2006. Performing to an audience of 23,898, the production completed a twenty week tour, with 98 performances in thirty three venues throughout Australia including the Sydney Opera House, QUT Brisbane, Walkington Theatre, Karratha, Launceston, Townsville and Broken Hill.

Monkey Baa presented the production in remote areas as part of the Connect Ed Arts program. The cast visited indigenous communities in Wentworth, Wilcannia and Menindee conducting workshops with school students. In Broken Hill many of the thirty students from School of the Air travelled over 400 kms to attend the show and workshops.

…and what the critics have said…

The lights dimmed and…we were about to be taken on a journey that would defy contemplation. Acclaimed Sydney theatre company Monkey Baa were in town to perform “Hitler’s Daughter.”

The journey was spellbinding.

Lee McIvor – The Observer, Gladstone
13th May 2006

Feedback

Once the performance started, I was entranced, the Kids didn't utter a sound, and I was treated to a magnificent first-time experience of Live-Theatre, which was presented by a Group of what to me, was a group of extremely Young Players, who were Magnificent in the way in which they presented the Story, which in itself was extremely thought provoking... The visual and sound effects were also exhilarating.

J. Elphick, Wollongong

It is so gratifying to see such high quality Australian Theatre for young people. The boys were riveted and inspired - they love drama and theatre and always need magnificent role models like you.

J. Cottrell

I thought Hitler's Daughter was great. It was really sad but amazing at the same time. All the characters performed and act really good. I would really recommend it for people that haven't seen it.

E. Vasilj

A wonderful experience and it was a fantastic play. I learnt a lot about Hitler and his people. I can't explain how good it was.

M. Tripodi

Really great although I've read the book I thought it was really unpredictable. I thought that each scene was going to change props but it didn't. I thought it was a great performance.

Macrina

We took a group of nine Grade 5/6 students to see a performance of the play Hitler's Daughter at the Earl Arts Centre as a reward for them reading the book and meeting at lunchtimes as a "novel study" group. This excellent Monkey Baa production was a fantastic culmination to this short novel study unit and the children, many of whom rarely see live theatre, were rapt. I would welcome any further opportunities to take students to see shows of such calibre.

P. Crowden, Riverside Primary School, Launceston, Tasmania

Hitler's Daughter was very creative and was just like the book."
"I thought that the production was excellent and would love to see another one like it."
"If we had to give Hitler's Daughter a rating we would give it nine or nine and a half out of ten.

(Grade 6 girls From Riverside Primary School)

For further feedback please see the Your Say section

Order Hitler's Daughter by Jackie French at Gleebooks Children's Bookshop online.

Order the Hitler's Daughter script from Currency Press online.

photos: Heidrun Lohr