Summary

Scene 8 takes place in 1938, in the Merz apartment. Present in the scene when it opens are Sally, with her daughters Bella and Mimi, and her son Nathan; Hermine with her son Heini, who is playing a toy piano; Nellie and her son Leo; Ludwig and his wife Eva; Ludwig’s sister Hanna, who is playing the piano; and an Englishman named Percy Chamberlain. The portrait of Gretl is no longer visible. A selection of bags and suitcases implies everyone living together on top of each other and the characters outfits imply that it is very cold in the apartment. As with the opening scene, multiple conversations happen at once and overlap with each other as the scene progresses: Sally reads a fairy tale to Bella and Mimi; Ludwig shows Nathan and Leo how to do a cat’s cradle; Percy gifts a box of...