Review by Jeanne Kinley Deller

Rife with tension and off-beat humor, “The Children” confronts a generational dilemma facing three distressed scientists. Lucy Kirkwood, Playwright, and Tim Bond, Director, have tackled one of today’s toughest, most monumental issues and brought it to the stage with a cast of convincingly strong characters.

With his usual dynamic on-stage flair, Seattle’s R. Hamilton Wright wins the audience over in his role as Robin, a man who steals away daily to tend his cows after an environmental disaster. His wife Hazel, played by Jeanne Paulsen, embraces the home front to avoid catastrophic realities on the outside.  Enter Rose, played by Carmen Roman, and you have a convoluted narrative of triangulation amid decades of monumental decision-making gone wrong.

While “The Children” speaks clearly to those who are acutely aware of a “looming climate crisis” (Director Tim Bond’s words), many fail to understand or admit that our children’s future is fraught with disaster if we continue on the familiar path. One can only hope this subtle, yet extremely complex production will travel far and wide to raise awareness of the need to act quickly. Accolades to Seattle Rep for bringing this topic to their stage – may they profoundly enlighten the Universe!

“The Children” is currently on stage at Seattle Rep, running through March 15th, 2020, for your enlightenment. Tickets here.

Photo by Nate Watters