"MY HEART IN A SUITCASE"

Life influences art. If there is any question of this, one need only tour a museum, listen to music, read a book or, for those of us who prefer the comfort of our homes, a simple Google search will yield a plethora of results pertaining to art influenced by life. Yet, art is not limited to life’s influences. In fact, one form of art can often influence other forms of art. Convocation’s presentation of My Heart in a Suitcase will help demonstrate this cycle of art influencing art.

For those unfamiliar with My Heart in a Suitcase, the play, which will be performed by the ArtsPower National Touring Theater, tells the story of a 12-year-old girl growing up in Nazi Germany and the struggles she must face when her parents make the decision to send her to the safety of England on the kindertransport when it becomes too dangerous for her to stay in Germany.

Although the story is wonderfully adapted to the stage, it was originally written in the form of a memoir by the author Anne L. Fox. Like all memoirs, My Heart in a Suitcase focuses the author’s recollections of a period in her life, specifically, her youth. The ArtsPower staging of My Heart in a Suitcase is a theatrical retelling of the memories Fox recounts in her memoir.

Because the play is based off of Fox’s memoir, the characters brought to life on stage are based on real people and events Fox experienced as a young girl. For example, the character Dorit, was truly a friend of Fox in her youth. Dorit Sasse is still alive and has even conducted interviews about her past friendship with the author. Even the author herself is represented as her young self on stage through the main character Anne Lehmann.

There are thousands of memoirs in print today, so what is it about My Heart in a Suitcase that influenced ArtsPower to adapt it for the stage? For one, Fox’s memoir is presented through the view of 12-year-old Anne. Anne’s perspective allows the young people in the audience to better relate to and understand such a character and her experiences. Although Fox’s memoir depicts events that occurred in 1939, many of the themes are relevant to today’s young people. Issues that young people still deal with in the 21st century, such as peer pressure, acceptance of differences, and standing up for one’s beliefs. Perhaps the selection of Fox’s memoir is best summed up in the idea that its young main character and the relevant issues that are depicted can reach many young people in audience.

Fox’s memoir was also selected to be adapted for the stage because it provides an important lesson on history, differences in personal beliefs, and separation from one’s homeland and family. The play is set in Nazi Germany and discusses historical events before and during WWII, including the Holocaust. Since the play is based off of Fox’s own experiences, the audience is made familiar with events on a personal scale. They are able to see the divide between two young friends over personal belief and also witness a young girl’s struggle to find courage in her separation from her family and home after she is sent to England on the Kindertransport.

In all, the ArtsPower production of My Heart in a Suitcase is a powerful retelling of Fox’s heartbreaking memoir. Like the memoir, the stage production touches on themes relevant to today’s youth. This powerful story inspires audience members to further pursue the history of the Holocaust and leaves them with a message about combating intolerance. The strength of the character Anne Lehmann, in light of a very discouraging situation leaves, the audience with a message about love and hope in a time of despair.

Stephanie Larson, Purdue Convocations student employee