The Lyric Hammersmith has released production images for The Children, with Meera Syal, Declan Conlon and Kerry Fox. Press night is tonight.
The Lyric Hammersmith has released the first production images for The Children, Lucy Kirkwood’s play in a production directed by the theatre’s artistic director Rachel O’Riordan. Press night is tonight, Thursday 10 September, and the run continues at the Lyric Hammersmith until Saturday 3 October 2026.
The production marks the play’s tenth anniversary. Meera Syal, an Olivier nominee for A Tupperware of Ashes and lately seen in Noises Off, plays Hazel. Declan Conlon, whose credits include Faith Healer and The Playboy of the Western World, plays Robin, and Kerry Fox, of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the film Shallow Grave, plays Rose.
Hazel and Robin have survived a catastrophe. They live on the edge of a radiation exclusion zone, where Hazel keeps up her yoga and Robin brews parsnip wine, and both keep a grip on something like normality. Then their old friend Rose knocks at the door, bringing buried secrets and a proposition – one that tests what they owe each other, and what they owe the generation coming after them.
Set and costume design is by Gary McCann, with lighting by Anna Watson, sound by Holly Khan and casting by Anna Cooper CDG. Lydia Free is assistant director, Yarit Dor is fight and intimacy director, and wigs, hair and make-up are by Campbell Young Associates. The production has been made possible by the support of Mark and Sarah Crosbie.
Access performances run through the second half of the run: a BSL-interpreted performance on Tuesday 22 September at 7.30pm, a chilled performance on Wednesday 23 September at 2.30pm, an audio-described performance on Thursday 24 September at 7.30pm with a touch tour at 6pm, and an open-captioned performance on Wednesday 30 September at 7.30pm.
The Children runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Lyric Square, King Street, London W6 0QL, to Saturday 3 October 2026, with tickets from £10.
