‘The
Children’s Hour’
by Lillian Hellman
12th
- 15th November 2003
Millennium Festival Studio Theatre, Central Methodist Church, Lincoln
Vicky
Ashberry made her directorial bow with our autumn 2003 production
- and she certainly doesn't shrink from a challenge!
Written in the 1930s, 'The Children's Hour' is the best known work
of the American playwright Lillian Hellman. It tells the story
of how a malicious lie told by a schoolgirl eventually destroys the
lives and livelihoods of her two teachers. Its insinuations of
illicit love between two women were considered shocking when it first
appeared on the Broadway stage, and when it was revived
in the 1950s the play struck a chord with many audiences at a time
when rumour, persecution and unfounded allegations were
rife in the McCarthy era.
Vicky brought in a host of new members to take the schoolgirls' roles
and coaxed excellent performances from all of them - in
particular newcomer Francesca Gugliotta, who played the central role
of Mary Tilford, the disturbed girl whose lies lead to the
closure of the school and the suicide of one of the teachers.
Overall
an utterly convincing and deeply moving piece of ensemble theatre
which won rave reviews despite attracting only our
usual small but loyal audiences. The Lincolnshire Echo praised the
'intense performances' and predicted that audiences would
be 'deeply moved' by the plight of the two women, excellently played
by Melissa Corfield and Sheryl Tribe. The Lincoln Chronicle pronounced
the show 'brave and brilliant', 'hugely enjoyable' and 'gripping and
gruelling theatre'.
