14 February - 1 March

Tiny Dog Productions & Dead Fly Productions presents

THE CHILDREN’S HOUR

Written by Lillian Hellman

Directed by Kim Hardwick

When a troubled schoolgirl tells a lie, it sets off a chain of events with extraordinary and damaging consequences.

Premiering on Broadway in 1934, banned in London and several cities across America and performing for 691 shows in its first run, Lillian Hellman's The Children’s Hour was a product of its time, but 90 years later the devastating consequences of deceit, lies, homophobia and fear-mongering at the heart of this work remain startlingly relevant.

At their beloved boarding school Karen and Martha become entangled in a world of shame and courage when a troubled schoolgirl tells a lie to her unsuspecting grandmother, setting off a chain of events with extraordinary, damaging consequences.

Hellman’s The Children’s Hour was a controversial piece that caused the playwright to be blacklisted from Hollywood. Today, it remains a haunting reminder for us all.

Cast and Creative Team

Producing Company: Tiny Dog Productions and Dead Fly Productions

Playwright: Lillian Hellman

Director: Kim Hardwick

Assistant Director: Jess Bell

Dramaturg: Alison Rooke

Cast (of 13): TBC

This listing is updated as cast/creatives are confirmed in the lead-up to the production, and if there are changes to the team.

Dates + Ticketing

Season: 14 February - 1 March (previews 14/02 & 15/02, opening night 16/02)

Times: Tues-Fri 7pm, Sat 2pm & 7pm, Sun 5pm

Ticket Prices:

  • Previews & Cheap Tuesday: $38.50 + booking fee

  • Adult: $49.50-82.50 + booking fee

  • Concession: $39.50-60.50 + booking fee

Approximate Run Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (inc. interval)

Content Warnings: Themes of homophobia and suicide

Note: ticketing for Mainstage productions at the Old Fitz Theatre operate on a Dynamic Pricing model. This system means prices increase in line with audience demand (determined by capacity targets), and ensures we are able to provide cheaper tickets for a period whilst also making sure artists - who are often contracted on a profit share basis - get paid. In the interest of full transparency, the structure of the model can be viewed in full on our Welcome page. Concession tickets will never exceed $60.50, and previews and Cheap Tuesday’s will be capped at $38.50 and will not scale.