The Children NYC Reviews and Tickets
Show-Score Member Reviews (362)
See it if Death beckons for nuclear disaster survivors. As the bell tolls, old friends explore the limits of how well they can understand each other.
Don't see it if You don’t like meticulously develeoped characters and a slow moving plot. You don’t want to think about how death affects the living. Read more
See it if you like conventional theater serving relevant and searing topics.
Don't see it if you like escapism -- or you don't want to have to sit on the edge of the seat to pick up accented conversions in a theater with lousy sound.
See it if you want to see the best acting, writing, and direction on Broadway. The Children is literally one of the best plays I've ever seen.
Don't see it if your mind wanders. This is a play where you have to pay attention to every line and movement on the stage to get the full effect.
See it if You like complex relationships, big themes that still resonate today, new British playwrights.
Don't see it if You don’t like morbid subject matter, prefer fast-paced plays or looking for an upbeat night at the theater.
See it if You like interesting British Theater with a political tone and a small but powerful cast.
Don't see it if You want an epic, sweeping story
See it if You are concerned with responsibility for environmental disasters,want to see relevant theatre which is thoughtful, great acting
Don't see it if If you just want light entertainment when you go to the theatre
See it if You enjoy a very well acted, interesting, thought provoking and witty, at times, drama.
Don't see it if You want to see something fluffy and mindless.
See it if You like smart thought provoking writing.
Don't see it if You don't like theater that makes you think.
Critic Reviews (48)
“Despite a brilliant display of achingly detailed acting - reason enough for connoisseurs of acting to rush to this production directed by James Macdonald - its uneasy blend of a frightening nuclear apocalypse and an ugly romantic triangle might be an obstacle for some. ‘The Children’ is a quiet, whispered scream of a drama that takes viewers by surprise even as the characters bleed and brood.”
Read more
“Kirkwood's tremendous new play is the kind of work we need to be making, and supporting, right now...Macdonald is a master at executing real, darkly comic characters in stark scenarios. His deft hand brings to the stage a nuanced, streamlined performance with just a hint at some tricks. But it’s Kirkwood’s script that deserves the most attention...Filled with a millennial insight into the baby boomers in a way that never feels patronizing, but boldly poetic and disarmingly comic."
Read more
"Astonishing new play...I dare not reveal the outcome and thereby spoil your discoveries that this fine, brave play offers. The trio of virtuoso English actors shines...Under James MacDonald’s expert direction, this ordinary cottage kitchen is the scene of revelation after shocking revelation, escalating to a stunning denouement. Rarely do we encounter a playwright of conscience like Lucy Kirkwood, who courageously tackles the big questions that our planet faces."
Read more
“The interpersonal relationships are dolled out like poker chips until the entire piece assembles itself. These performances are subtle and focused...MacDonald’s direction pays great attention to the details of familiar behavior...It is to Kirkwood’s credit that the threat and the impossibility of the situation creeps up on us like radiation poisoning itself. As the play concludes, however, the story collapses in on itself...Too bad. A missed opportunity.”
Read more
“A disturbing tale about nuclear power that mirrors real events, is troubling from the onset…The dialogue between the two women has an edge to it, and the talented actresses project an air of tension…Kirkwood's drama is engrossing and absorbing…‘The Children’ is a somber cautionary tale, sadly one that is not far-fetched. Serious thought-provoking ideas for the ride home.”
Read more
"It’s a quietly disturbing beginning as directed by James MacDonald, and we are instantly engaged and desperate for an explanation for this troubled air. And it will come, but we will have to just sit back and wait it out...What is beautifully done in this intriguing and powerful play, is the teasing out of information about the world they live in and the circumstances they find themselves...It’s a slow cooking machine here, but wildly satisfying in the end."
Read more
"The success of 'The Children' is primarily the result of Kirkwood's effective and judicious use of tropes, particularly the extended metaphor of the nuclear 'disaster' that has displaced Hazel and her husband Robin from their dairy farm...Under Macdonald's purposive and gentle direction, 'The Children' raises significant enduring questions left for the audience to grapple with."
Read more
“Seems like a small, slow domestic drama...but turns into an unsettling meditation on some very large themes...Kirkwood roots her larger themes in concrete details, a series of startling surprises, and some resonant metaphors, woven into nearly two hours otherwise filled with seemingly idle small talk...Might try the patience of the average attention-deficit New Yorkers, but ‘The Children’ hits home by the end...The three veteran British actors bring credible characters to life.”
Read more