The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has released production images for its new staging of Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children, with press night taking place on Thursday 10 September 2026. The production, directed by the venue’s Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan, runs until Saturday 3 October 2026, with tickets available from lyric.co.uk from £10.
The play, which first premiered in 2016 and won widespread critical praise including a transfer to Broadway, is receiving its current production to mark its tenth anniversary. Kirkwood’s work is known for its sharp examination of moral responsibility, generational debt and the long-term consequences of environmental catastrophe — themes that have only grown in resonance over the intervening decade.
A Stellar Cast
Leading the production is Olivier Award-nominated Meera Syal, best known to theatre audiences for her work in A Tupperware of Ashes and Noises Off, who takes on the role of Hazel. Irish stage actor Declan Conlon, acclaimed for his performances in Faith Healer and The Playboy of the Western World, plays Robin, while Kerry Fox — recognisable from screen work including Shallow Grave and stage productions such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof — completes the central trio as Rose.
The play centres on Hazel and Robin, an older couple living on the fringes of a radiation exclusion zone in the aftermath of an unspecified nuclear disaster. The pair have settled into a quiet routine, with Hazel continuing her yoga practice and Robin fermenting parsnip wine, each clinging to the rhythms of ordinary life. The arrival of their old friend Rose — uninvited and unexpected — upends this fragile calm. Rose brings with her buried memories, long-held secrets and a deeply unsettling proposition that forces the couple to examine what they owe to future generations and how far personal loyalty can stretch.
Creative Team and Production Details
The creative team assembled around O’Riordan includes Set and Costume Design by Gary McCann, Lighting Design by Anna Watson, and Sound Design by Holly Khan. Casting is by Anna Cooper CDG, with Assistant Direction by Lydia Free and Fight and Intimacy Direction by Yarit Dor. Wigs, Hair and Make-Up are handled by Campbell Young Associates. The production has been made possible through the support of Mark and Sarah Crosbie.
A full programme of accessible performances has been scheduled throughout the run. A BSL-interpreted performance takes place on Tuesday 22 September at 7.30pm, followed by a Chilled Performance on Wednesday 23 September at 2.30pm. An Audio Described Performance, with a Touch Tour at 6pm, is scheduled for Thursday 24 September at 7.30pm, and an Open Captioned Performance will take place on Wednesday 30 September at 7.30pm.
About the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has been based in King Street, Hammersmith, for 130 years, and under Rachel O’Riordan’s artistic leadership has maintained a reputation for ambitious, socially engaged programming. The venue is a major producing house in London, with a particular commitment to working with its local west London community and nurturing emerging talent through its Young Lyric programme. Young Lyric Membership is open to people aged 0–25 living across ten west London boroughs, offering £5 tickets to main house productions alongside access to low-cost courses, masterclasses and bursary places.
The theatre also offers discounted tickets for schools, colleges and universities at £15 per student, with one free teacher ticket for every ten students — a provision extended to two free teacher tickets for SEND schools. These rates are available for Monday to Wednesday performances throughout the run, subject to availability.
The Children runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Lyric Square, King Street, London W6 0QL, until 3 October 2026. The box office number is 020 8741 6850.
