Lillian Hellman’s play THE CHILDREN’S HOUR (1934) follows the story of Martha and Karen who run a boarding school for young girls. Mary, a troubled and particularly difficult student, overhears a conversation she wasn’t meant to be privy to. Very unhappy at school, she absconds to her grandmother’s, Amelia Tilford, hoping that she will let her stay for a while.
At first her grandmother decides that she will let Mary stay for dinner, and then she will be sent back. At this point Mary tells Amelia a concocted story, inferring that Martha and Karen are in a lesbian relationship. The consequences for everyone are devastating.
Hellman’s play, though written ninety years ago, still has plenty of charge. It is similar in substance to Arthur Miller’s classic 1953 play The Crucible. The conflict in both plays comes from a vindictive girl, the ringleader of a groups, who wants to bring down adults.
Really good dramatists know how to hit the mark, with precision and maximum impact. In Miller’s play, the main character John Proctor defiantly goes to his hanging saying that at least now he has his honour. In THE CHILDREN’S HONOUR, Martha Dobbie finds her truth but is, due to the times she lives in, unable to live with it.
Kim Hardwick’s production, suited to the intimate Old Fitz Theatre, is a taut one. There were subtle changes in emphasis from the original play which worked ok. She captures the look and feel of 1930’s Massachusetts.
The feature of Emelia Simcox’s set was the use of a stage wide transparent scrim which is very effective in conveying the way that unseen observers and eavesdropping plays such a major part in the play.
Mchael Huxley’s edgy soundscape, Jimi Rawlings incisive lighting, Hannah Yardley’s excellent period costumes, and Linda Nicholls dialect coaching work well.
The cast morph in to their characters well. In the leading roles, there was a repressive aspect to Romney Hamilton’s Karen and an edginess to Jess Bell’s Martha. I just felt that Bell’s performance would have worked better if she ‘pulled back’ a little in the final scenes.
Veteran thespian Annie Byron gives her trademark fine performance as the wealthy, conservative Amelia Tilford. Martelle Hammer is great as Mrs Tilford’s very nosey maid, Agatha.
Deborah Jones is tremendous as Martha’s cold, dispassionate, haughty Aunt Lily.
Mike Booth plays the good natured Joe, Karen’s fiance and a respected local GP, who finds himself out of his depth emotionally when it comes to dealing with Karen and Martha’s almost symbiotic friendship.
Kim Clifton is great as the spiteful, manipulative villain, Mary, breathing fire in her performance. Sarah Ballantyne’s plays fellow schoolgirl Rosalie who crumbles under Mary’s pressure. Lara Kocsis as Peggy, Amy Bloink as Evelyn, Miranda Huttley as Catherine, Madeline Kunstler is Lois, and Kira McLennan as Helen effectively play the other schoolgirls.
Sometimes all it takes is an ounce of truth to bring things undone.
A co-production by Tiny Dog Productions and Dead Fly productions, Lillian Hellman’s THE CHILDREN’S HOUR is playing the Old Fitz Theatre 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo until 1 March 2025
Production photography by Phil Erbacher
http://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au
