In Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour, a troubled teenager ruins the lives and careers of two female teachers in an American girls’ boarding school. The play set in the early 1930’s shows the young girl, a relative of one of the teacher’s fiancée, spreading malicious lies about the personal lives of the two teachers.
Spread over three Acts, the drama simmers for most of the time only bursting into life in the final explosive act when the full consequences of the lies are revealed.
Sarah Frankcom, (a newly appointed Artistic Director at The Royal Exchange Theatre), draws on expressionist techniques to heavily underline both the damage and harm that the lies cause the main protagonists. The repeated use of a ticking clock and the choreographed movement of supernumeraries, whispering Chinese whispers, although interesting directorial devices, after a while become irritating and intrusive.
Hellman is no equal to Tennessee Williams, the play and its characters too readily slip into melodrama and the ending of the play is ham-fisted. An audience is robbed of a genuinely moving ending by the playwright’s inability to find the right note on which to end the play.
Frankcom is extremely fortunate that an excellent cast overcome the play’s limitations and her own intrusions, to make this production both enjoyable and worth watching. As the troubled teenager, Mary Tilford, intent on destroying the two teachers and manipulating her fellow students, Kate O’Flynn excels, bringing exactly the right mix of spite and vitriol to the role. Maxine Peake and Charlotte Emmerson play the two ill fated teachers, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. The two actresses work wonderfully together, instantly suggesting a long term friendship borne out of respect and great affection. Emerson is particularly successful in conveying her character’s deep desire and longing. Hers is a performance of great subtly and tenderness.
In her lifetime Lillian Hellman achieved distinction in both the theatre and cinema, especially with her play The Little Foxes. The Children’s Hour was her first play and had it been written towards the end of her career may have better stood the test of time. This production has many merits, notably a first class cast but does little to enhance the reputations of either the play or its writer. The Children’s Hour is not a great play merely an interesting one.
The Children’s Hour runs at The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until 5 April 2008.
