The Children

Play

Writers: Lucy Kirkwood

Overview

Show Information

Category
Play
Number of Acts
1
First Produced
2016
Genres
Drama, Dark Comedy
Settings
Contemporary, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
The British Coast
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Ideal for
Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast
Casting Notes
Mostly female cast
Includes mature adult characters

Synopsis

The Children is set in 'a small cottage on the east coast', where Hazel and Robin, two retired nuclear scientists in their mid-sixties, are living. A recent disaster at the local power station where they used to work has devastated the area and they live under the threat of radiation pollution. Electricity and water are rationed and they keep a Geiger counter to check for signs of radiation. However, Hazel is determined to preserve some semblance of normality and live the healthiest life she possibly can. So, Robin now farms, while Hazel practises yoga and devours salad. But when Rose, a former colleague whom they haven’t seen for 38 years, suddenly turns up, she disrupts their precariously ordered existence. Rose is determined that they must fix the problems they have caused for the next generation, even if it means certain death. Exploring issues of accountability, guilt, and morality, Lucy Kirkwood’s three-hander presents a very real, post-nuclear world.

Lead Characters


The Children guide sections