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Rail crash victim's battle to see book on West End stage
Louise Jury6 Mar 2009
writer Nina Bawden is fighting to conquer her fear of leaving her house so she can attend the West End adaptation of one of her books.
Ms Bawden, 84, is suffering "delayed shock" after being injured in the 2002 Potters Bar rail crash.
She wants to beat the condition so she can leave her Islington home to see Carrie's War on stage.
The semi-autobiographical story of children evacuated to Wales in the Second World War is coming to Shaftesbury Avenue this summer.
It will star Prunella Scales as Mrs Gotobed in her first West End role for five years. Adult actor Sarah Edwardson will play the young evacuee Carrie.
Ms Bawden said she was "surprised and delighted" that the producers wanted to stage her book. "I'm always surprised by good news."
But she does not yet know whether she will be strong enough, mentally and physically, to see the show. She is also recovering from a broken hip.
She was left with pain from injuries in the 2002 rail crash in which her husband, Austen Kark, died.
She suffered multiple fractures including a broken collarbone, arm, leg and ankle. Her husband, who was 75 at the time, was a managing director of the BBC World Service. Six others were killed and 81 injured when a train leaving King's Cross bound for King's Lynn, Norfolk, was derailed by badly maintained points on 10 May at Potters Bar.
"The result of Potters Bar was we campaigned to get compensation for several years and I did it quite enthusiastically. But I suddenly developed a fear of going out of the house, so I haven't been out much. It's a very strange phobia," she said.
Ms Bawden said the condition started about two years ago.
She saw a psychiatrist for a while but that did not help. However, she has begun to make occasional trips. "I'm not cut off from the world."
She said she would not call herself an agoraphobic.
But she wants to be better by the summer. "I'm hoping I will get to see the play on the stage."
Carrie's War was published in 1973. There have been film and television adaptations and it was first staged at Sadler's Wells three years ago.
Ms Bawden was evacuated with friends from Ilford County High School for Girls. They were first sent to Ipswich and then to Wales.
"The miners' families were wonderful. The pits had been closed for most of the Thirties but then suddenly coal was wanted and the pits were open. The whole of Wales was en fête."
She is currently writing a book which she described as "a comedy about old age, decay and death".
Carrie's War, adapted by Emma Reeves, will run from 18 June to 12 September at the Apollo Theatre.
Reader views (1)
My best wishes to Ms Bawden whose late husband Austen Kark was my boss at BBC World Service (Bush House)
- Patrick Gerassi, VIGO - SPAIN, 07/03/2009 23:56
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