Cappies Review: Langley High School Production of 'The Children's Hour'

Cappies Review by Ray Clardy of McLean High School

A production’s beginning is arguably one of the most vital points regarding the issue of tone establishment. As the first foreboding, lilting notes of a piano steadily drift onstage and darkness imposes its casual obscurity upon an audience now submerged in uncertainty, the tone of Langley High School’s The Children’s Hour is unquestionable.

It is a play of acute tension and gaping emotional wounds. A play of grossly damaging imposition and obscenely harmful gossip, clearly established from those first haunting notes. After all, what better way to begin a production than at its beginning?

A play originally written by Lillian Hellman in 1934, The Children’s Hour is mostly noted for its unflinchingly realistic and daring portrayal of homosexuality, especially considering the time of the text’s release. The Children’s Hour has since been reproduced onstage numerous times and was adapted into two films. Detailing the outrageous social ruination of innocent schoolteachers Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, the production touches on themes of innocence, love, gossip, and societal acceptance with tact and skillful dialogue.

Most prominently displayed are the characters of Martha Dobie and Karen Wright, who were each portrayed with extreme prowess by their respective actresses. Each character markedly distinct, Kathleen Welch’s interpretation of Ms. Dobie channeled a sterner, more administrative suppression while Madeleine Chalk’s initially cheery approach to her character invited in an element of eventual juxtaposition and steadily developmental trauma.

Each actress was wonderfully skilled and complimented the other excellently with subtle yet meaningful character traits, flawless enunciation, reasonable pacing, and a studious understanding of the text remaining prevalent throughout each of their performances.

Lily Brock played scathing child hellion Mary Tilford, the story’s main antagonist, and embellished her powerful performance by unleashing an aura of haughty, seething artificiality. Reminiscent of The Crucible’s Abigail Williams, Brock’s horrendous crimes instilled a fluttering sense of dread and harnessed the horrific power of dramatic irony, inducing a palpitating sense of nerve-wracking anticipation within the audience.

A fussy, manipulative glare emanated from her face throughout, and her sickeningly sweet vocal tones increased any disgust directed towards her character’s atrocious actions. Vanessa Strahan also performed well as Mrs. Lily Morter, utilizing a pretentiously crisp voice to define her onstage interactions and enhance the show’s overall character diversity.

Although the overall technical design was quite simple, such a choice worked well in accordance with the demands of the production and introduced a sense of frantically static inescapability. The drab, unyielding green which clung so heavily to the set’s detailed walls aided this goal and the dusty, antiquated furniture peppering the stage believably brought the older time period to life.

Each costume clearly reflected the traits of the character who donned it, from Ms. Dobie’s plainer, dark wardrobe to the floral print dress worn by Ms. Wright. The continuously balanced, ever-stationary lighting technique emphasized the undertones of seeming normality and placid everyday life, contrasting brilliantly with the intense drama displayed within.

Any sound effects used were appropriate and clearly audible, and due to each performer’s absolutely unwavering projection (deftly defeating the stage’s dangerously deep dimensions) no microphones were necessary.

Despite its misleading title, Langley High School’s The Children’s Hour set itself apart from other high school productions as a thematically bold journey through the hazards of gossip and the obstacles of differentiation. The Children’s Hour stands solidly as a fantastic experience supported by consistently conceptual technical elements, a well-written base text and many phenomenal, well-paced performances.