Seat of the Pants Theatre’s ‘The Children’ is a stark reminder of what lurks

Photo credit Julian Curet

There are many examples of the stoic nature of the British. “Keep a Stiff Upper Lip”, “Keep Calm and Carry On” both come to mind but the most British phrase of all in times of strife is “Care for a Cuppa?”. It is a documented fact that in 1942 as war raged around the world, the British Government purchased the entire Chinese crop of tea. In effect, they had all the tea in China. As one British war veteran noted “with a Benghazi Burner you only needed two minutes to “get a brew on” and “war is shite but war with tea is a little less shite””.

In Lucy Kirkwood’s “The Children” two married retired nuclear physicists, Hazel (Nanna Ingvarsson) and Robin (Tom Woodward) are living temporarily in a remote cottage on the East Coast of England. While Robin is away for the day tending the farm, Hazel is surprised by a visitor, Rose (Laura Starnik). Hazel is so surprised that she clouts Rose on the nose causing it to bleed. Getting the wounded woman inside she helps Rose recover with “Care for a Cuppa?”.

As the two women engage in small talk we find that it has been 30 years since they last met. Rose was once “involved” with Hazel’s current husband, Robin when all three worked at the nearby nuclear power station which has apparently been recently involved in a major disaster. There is “an inclusion zone” around the still burning structure where radiation still poses a huge threat to all living things. In the area outside “the zone” electricity is rationed for just a few short hours in the evening, safe water is brought in bottles with scant amounts available for bathing or toilets and the gas has been turned off. The farm where Robin labors is within the inclusion zone with their former house just on the edge.

Robin is recovering from a double mastectomy she had while living in the United States. She sports a rather outrageous purple wig to hide her hair loss. It is clear that Hazel and Robin love each other very much (having raised four children together, three boys of their own and a daughter, Lauren, that Hazel had before marrying Robin). They also have four grand children. There seems to be a problem with 38 year old Lauren who has anger issues.

Robin arrives and meeting up again with Rose breaks out a couple of bottles of parsnip wine that carries a high alcohol content in spite of the strong flavor. There is an element of temptation that permeates with the arrival of Robin’s “old flame”. Robin represents a free spirit, doing what she wants when she wants with no regrets. She is unmarried and childless. All three persons are in their late 60s. As the trio sip their wine the reason for Rose’s visit becomes apparent.

While the three actors are fantastic and work extremely well together the pacing seemed to be a bit subdued with the work going past the advertised time on opening night. Being as how this is a British work that may well have been the intent of Director Craig Joseph.

Al Costa’s scenic design is superb, capturing a quaint British style cottage in all of its simple glory. Micah Harvey’s lighting design is fresh and airy giving a brightness that hides the gloom that surrounds that section of the country engulfed in its current condition. Angie Hayes sound design adds a subtle background noise of the ocean that is consistent throughout building to a crescendo at the end. Wayne Smith III comes up with a workable video design of the ocean and as the evening progresses adds various bits and bobs to the night sky perhaps representing the radiation poison that permeates the air.

Most important is Matt Koenig’s job as dialect coach. Too often with British works the accents are overdone in “North Cockney Strong” mockery (think Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins”). These actors have been taught to use a subtle accent that is pleasant rather than jarring. Although brief, the fight scene designed by Michael Glavan is effective although it is puzzling why Hazel slugs Robin rather than Rose. Lastly, intimacy director Julia Fisher shows a natural mature approach to love and affection with an established couple along with some naughty intimate contact between Robin and Rose.

As for the cast, Nanna Ingvarsson as Hazel delightfully underplays the part of mature wife, mother and grandmother in a very smooth manner giving the fight scene a surprise element. Tom Woodward is effervescent as the bubbly Robin who is hiding his own frailty. Laura Starnik as Rose is a firebrand and hurricane of emotion who is willing to sacrifice all for the good of a few (a very British concept).

This 100 minute (no intermission) play could be compared to the parsnip wine served during the proceedings...sharp, tangy and packing quite a punch. Inspired by the Fukushima nuclear explosion in Japan in 2011 it serves as a cautionary tale concerning environmental impact of outdated technology when safer means of supplying for the electrical needs of the population are now available.

The Seat of the Pants Theatre production of “The Children” will be on stage in the Pivot Center located at 2937 West 25^th Street, Cleveland, Ohio through November 9, 2025. For more information and tickets go to http://www.seatofthepants.org or call 847-456-2030.