The Children, by Lucy Kirkwood (September, 2026)

 

The Children, by Lucy Kirkwood

September 2026 at The Corpus Playroom

The Guardian: 'Lucy Kirkwood astonished us in 2013 with the epic scope of Chimerica, dealing with global politics. She now follows it with a three-character play which, although smaller in scale, still impresses by its capacity to raise big issues; in particular how people in the future will react to the poisoned legacy of the present. The problem with most post-apocalyptic plays is that they confront us with a totally unrecognisable world: Kirkwood, however, suggests people still listen to Radio 4 and dance to James Brown. Hazel and Robin, two retired nuclear scientists living in a coastal cottage in the wake of a disaster at a local power station, seek to preserve a semblance of normality. Even though electricity is rationed and a Geiger counter is on hand to check for signs of radiation, Robin now farms, the super-organised Hazel practises yoga and the pair keep in touch with their eldest daughter. But when Rose, a fellow nuclear physicist whom they haven’t seen for 38 years, suddenly turns up, their precariously ordered existence is disrupted. Has Rose come to reignite her old affair with Robin or does she have some darker purpose? We are well into Kirkwood’s two-hour play before we have an answer.'

Production team

Director: Sean Baker
Additional Crew: The Penguin Club

Cast list

Part: Auditions to be arranged