British playwright Lucy Kirkwood has crafted a delightful tale of social consciousness with a serious message. The Children tells the story of the aftermath of a nuclear power station meltdown, focussing on three former nuclear engineers.
Set in a cottage in an unnamed coastal area of England, the play opens with Rose (played by veteran performer Tina Bursill) trying to stem the flow from a bloody nose. It soon becomes apparent that the cottage owner, Hazel (Genevieve Mooy), has been startled by her sudden appearance and lashed out at her in fright. Hazel fusses around Rose, who remains calm and collected throughout the ordeal. The pair clearly have a history, yet their body language shows that they are not overly affectionate to each other.
Rose continues in her confident manner, making herself at home, while Hazel attempts to make small talk while explaining the difficulties of her current living situation. The power station explosion (echoing the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan) meant that Hazel’s former house became unliveable after the tidal wave, and they were offered accommodation in the run-down cottage, with virtually no power, except in the evenings.
We learn that Hazel has three children, some grandchildren and that her husband Robin is away tending to the cows that had been left behind. Throughout the exchange, Rose continues with her aloof manner, while Hazel fusses and potters around in the kitchen.
The arrival home of Robin (played by Terence Crawford) shifts the dynamic and we are confronted with a virtual triangle of emotions. Eventually, the reason for Rose’s visit becomes clear. All three have a past history and this is woven skilfully into the story.
Director Corey McMahon has sympathetically bought this production to the State Theatre of SA stage with the perfect balance of seriousness and humour. The underlying message is that of the over-stretching of the earth’s resources and the question of responsibility for repairing the damage of the past. Each actor contributed to the situation’s dynamic and tension in their own way. Each player has their personal motivations, desires, and wishes that keep the pace of the story always flowing.
The children are never seen, but mentioned often, with the eldest child being somewhat of a troublemaker. In a way, this could be construed as the children of the world being the older generation’s focus yet having their own flaws and needs.
Whilst the entire performance is set in the cottage kitchen, the sense of claustrophobia that this gives only adds to the tension of the story, with enough breathing space to make it bearable.
Overall, it was a very entertaining treatment of a very serious story. Although it was meant to give you food for thought, it never bogged down in melodrama. The three actors were perfect for their respective roles. Definitely a play worth seeing.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Feature image by Matt Byrne
The Children plays at the Dunstan Playhouse until 17th Februray
Book at StateTheatreCompany.com.au
Use the code CHILDREN10 to get 10% off ticket prices
