by Mark Murton

Directed by: John Goldschmit

Synopsis: Dramatisation drawn from the recollections of a number of those present at the time of the Bethnal Green Tube Disaster on 3rd March, 1943 when a crush on the stairs lead to the death of 173 people who were using the Tube Station to shelter from German bombs.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The drama focuses on a single fictional family, John (Ray Mort) and Maureen Bell (Marjorie Yates) and their three children. After their house is destroyed by a German bomb they are forced to take up residence with John’s mother, Vi (Liz Smith), who lives with only her black and white cat Tibbles for company.

The family eventually opt for the safety of the local tube station and take up residence there along with hundreds of others. Vi elects to remain in her home and is next seen happily singing along to the radio with Tibbles on her lap.

New Year’s Eve arrives and John and Maureen, after escaping the children for celebratory drinks at the pub, return to Vi’s house hoping to “see the old year out.” Vi tactfully announces she is going out for the evening to visit a friend. She stands in a corridor outside the house holding Tibbles as she muses, “Now then, puss, how are we gonna spend half an hour? That should be long enough for ‘em — they’ve been married twenty years.”

Final Mewsings: Every day spent with a cat is a lovely day.

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