Friendless Felicia : Or, a little city sparrow

In a cramped attic above a bustling Bristol tenement, a twelve‑year‑old girl named Felicia shoulders the burdens of adulthood. She runs a noisy sewing machine to keep food on the table while her ailing mother lies in bed, refusing medical help and clinging to hope for a stronger tomorrow. When the simple act of fetching boiling water leads her to the austere Mrs. M’Cosh, the girl discovers a harsh but honest kindness that steadies her daily struggle.

The story follows Felicia’s quiet determination as she balances school‑time dreams with the relentless demands of work, family, and a neighborhood that offers both sympathy and suspicion. Through vivid scenes of kitchen steam, summer heat, and the relentless whirr of the sewing machine, listeners are drawn into a world where small acts of compassion become lifelines. As Felicia navigates the cramped rooms of the vicarage, the priory, and her own tangled emotions, the first act sets the tone for a heartfelt tale of resilience and the search for belonging.