What does the aftermath of a nuclear meltdown look like in the frame of a small cottage by the sea? Slow stretches on a yoga mat and salad bowls for days. At least that’s the life that Hazel has carefully designed for herself and her husband to navigate the long-lasting effects of the apocalypse, rationed electricity, and old age. But when an unexpected guest shows up, the order dissolves. So enters a ghost from the past, who positions herself in the middle of the room and asks “How are the children?”
Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children explores the line between acceptance and agency, as the apocalypse forces the characters to confront their shared history on top of layers of unspoken interpersonal threads. The story follows two retired nuclear scientists, Hazel and Robin, who have not seen their colleague Rose for 38 years. But as the awkward small talk steers into a direction more backhanded and acidic, we find that the play is carefully withholding information from us, letting it spill in small bursts before finally unravelling everything in a resolute conclusion.
Wendy Mathison plays a sweet but immensely cynical Hazel. I am amazed at her ability to portray such counterbalance, which adds such a realistic depth to her character. The Hazel she plays is endearing in the way that she recollects memories with genuine weight in her eyes, and how she thrusts hospitality at her guest even if tainted with dislike and suspicion. Later, when we come to the part of the story that justifies her negative feelings, we can appreciate how well-crafted their dynamics are from the beginning and carry on towards the end.
Richard Godden’s Robin is exceptionally charismatic. He has a glint in his eyes when his character teases the two women, yet it is peppered with grief that intelligently blends into his performance as all the secrets start to unfurl.
Hilary Spiers drives the mounting tension through her character Rose, depicting the guest who somehow knows her way around the cottage all too well, despite allegedly being out of contact with them since they moved in after the meltdown. She has all the power to strike the match, yet naturally, you can see her holding back, which begs the question: why did she come?
The Children had their last show on 10 August at The Hepburn Suite at The Royal Scots Club.
Image courtesy of Minny Fletcher-Watson, provided to The Student as press material.