The Children by Lucy Kirkwood

★ ★ ★ ★ "The Children should be seen for its simple take on powerful questions" Chicago Sun-Times

From September 17 to October 13, 2019, the Belfry Theatre will present The Children by British playwright Lucy Kirkwood. Directed by Michael Shamata, The Children stars Nancy Palk (Hazel), Brenda Robins (Rose), and Joseph Ziegler (Robin).

Brenda Robins starred (as the delightful 90-year old Vera) in our production of 4000 Miles earlier this year. Nancy Palk and Joseph Ziegler (who are married in real life) are returning after making their Belfry debuts in Da (in 1979). The three actors are longtime friends.

★ ★ ★ ★ “tantalizingly hard to define…it is very English, somewhat menacing, and often funny.” Time Out, London

Robin and Hazel are two retired nuclear scientists, living in a seaside cottage on the east coast of England. But all is not as it seems. Their electricity is restricted to evenings, and they have a Geiger counter in the kitchen. On a warm summer’s evening, Rose, an old friend and colleague, arrives from America with a startling request.

“... astonishing and thrilling...bristling with chills and suspense.” New York Times

Inspired by the nuclear disaster in Fukushima Japan, The Children is a pressure cooker that asks powerful questions of us all. Playing out in real time, by turns it is a mystery, comedy and drama.

The play opened at the Royal Court Theatre in London in November 2016 and transferred to Broadway a year later. In New York the play was nominated for the 2018 Outer Critics Circle Award as Outstanding New Broadway Play and the 2018 Tony Award for Best Play.

★ ★ ★ ★ “A richly suggestive and beautifully written piece of work.... Kirkwood is the most rewarding dramatist of her generation." The Independent

Last year, Kirkwood was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in its "40 Under 40" initiative. Her 2013 play Chimerica examined the relationship between the US and China. It won the 2014 Olivier Award for best new play and was subsequently adapted as a TV miniseries, airing on the UK’s Channel 4 this past April.

★ ★ ★ ★ "This is sci-fi kitted out with real people, real dilemmas, real scope. It’s really good." Time Out, New York

WHY I CHOSE THIS PLAY
Award-winning playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s brilliant play asks big questions about the responsibility we face to leave a better world for the next generation. How do we reconcile our mistakes with their impact on the future, and who is meant to clean up after us? -- Michael Shamata

Creative Team
Lucy Kirkwood - Playwright
Michael Shamata - Director
Christina Poddubiuk - Designer
Alan Brodie - Lighting Designer
Tobin Stokes - Composer / Sound Designer
Jennifer Swan - Stage Manager
Carissa Sams - Assistant Stage Manager
Jacques Lemay - Choreographer
Adrienne Smook - Dialect Coach
Molly McDowell-Powlowski - Assistant Director*

*Molly McDowell-Powlowski’s participation made possible through the Belfry’s Emerging Artist Enhancement Program, funded by the RBC Emerging Artists Project.

Ticket Information
Tickets for The Children range from $20 to $55 (plus GST). Tickets are available at 250-385-6815 or online at tickets.belfry.bc.ca. Prices are subject to change.

Tickets for The Children - https://tickets.belfry.bc.ca/TheatreManager/1/tmEvent/tmEvent1085.html