Last month, I saw the Friday night performance of the
closing weekend of The Children at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, presented by
the Manhattan Theatre Club. It was a
limited run from London’s Royal Court Theatre, and I am grateful to have come
to my frugal senses in time to order a ticket.
Like the last production I saw that was directed by James McDonald — at BAM, Caryl
Churchill’s Escaped Alone — the set
was in a box of sorts, so while I was slightly concerned with the height of my rear
mezzanine seat (would I miss any downstage action?), once the play began, I got
it all. The box, rather like an
adult-size diorama, was designed by Miriam
Buether and represents the downscale home away from home where a
long-married couple, Robin and Hazel (played by Ron Cook and Deborah Findlay)
have lived since parts of the coast of England fell into the sea and what was
left was irradiated by a failed nuclear power plant. It just so happened that the couple who
inhabit the diorama formerly worked at said nuclear power plant before their
retirement to a lovely country house where they kept cows and chickens. All of
which are now irradiated.
Into this kitchen/living area comes an unexpected visitor with
whom the couple had worked decades before. This is Rose, played by Francesca Annis.
 |
| Ron Cook, Deborah Findlay, Francesca Annis. Photo Credit: Sara Krulwich (NYT) |
For the next hour and three quarters, we
wonder what the visitor is doing there, so close to the irradiated land. The dynamics between the threesome vary
between old friends and old enemies, particularly when it’s just the two
women. When the man enters the picture
box, well, that’s interesting.
They reminisce, they argue, they tell tales of children and
cows. When we finally learn why Rose is
there, we’re shocked, but not appalled.
Fair’s fair.
The playwright, Lucy
Kirkwood, was unknown to me. She will be no longer, as this was fine,
intricate writing with interesting living characters (all of them in their 60s)
telling a layered story of personal relationships, personal loss, and personal
responsibility, as well as societal predicaments. This is a thoughtful play with plenty of
laughs since, after all, people are pretty funny, and the actors are terrific as
is the precise direction by Mr. McDonald.
 |
| Rose, Robin, and Hazel (Credit: Royal Court Theatre) |
Scenic design by Ms. Buether and lighting by Peter Mumford are fitting and fabulous,
atmospheric, and, on occasion, frightening.
I especially liked the surface between the set diorama and the
orchestra, which I slowly realized was filled with water, rather like a moat. Reflective water, still, and then rising
water. Rising and rising….
Back in February 2017 at BAM [http://mollyismusing.blogspot.com/2017/08/what-i-did-those-missing-months-of-2017.html], the last James
McDonald-directed play I saw shared similarities with The Children, in another Miriam Buether scenic and Peter Mumford
lighting design, as well as in attitude toward the future. Fallible and arrogant humans have made a mess
of things and will suffer the consequences.
No zombies, no robots, no aliens.
Just humans and the results of their hubris. Terrific stuff.
~ Molly Matera, signing off to continue scribbling about some other performances this winter....
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