The Children's Hour
at H-B Woodlawn

Reviewed on February 27, 2016

Gillian Wright
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

Where does the truth reside when it is hidden from the hearts, minds, and faces of a community? If everyone believes one thing, can the opposite really be true? Do beliefs manifest in words, or can repetition of a statement lead to its belief? H-B Woodlawn's eerie production of "The Children's Hour" brought to mind all these questions as it explored the power dynamic between honesty and deceit.

Debuting on Broadway in 1934, Lillian Hellman's play follows two female school teachers accused of homosexuality by one of their students. When Mary Tilford tells her grandmother of the devious rumors about Ms. Karen Wright and Ms. Martha Dobie circulating among pupils, all of the students are immediately withdrawn. As the show progresses, Mary's manipulative and beguiling nature becomes increasingly apparent. Her lies cause detrimental effects that ripple through the community, leaving the audience anxious to see whether the damage can be stopped. Due to its controversial subject matter, the show was initially received with both fascination and horror, causing it to be banned in some cities while also reaching enough acclaim to be adapted into film versions in both 1936 and 1961.

The leading duo of Martha Dobie (Erin Claeys) and Karen Wright (Julie Kashmanian) shared an intriguing dynamic and set the tone for the rest of the performers. Claeys' bold personality complemented Kashmanian's meeker style, making Claeys' passionately expressed opinions difficult to oppose while leaving Kashmanian's opinions hidden under an ever-calm demeanor. The presence of Joseph Cardin (Santiago Mallan), fiance of Ms. Wright, at first seemed to be widely beneficial to the school, but as relationships shifted, his adverse aspects became undeniable. Mallan's authoritative stage presence and emotional depth made his sincere performance a highlight of the night.

Masterminding each element of emotional havoc in the show, Mary Tilford (Ariel Shenkman) employed a wide range of rapidly changing sentiments to achieve her sinister purposes. Shenkman's confident physicality displayed her utter lack of respect for others, which contrasted with the stilted, unsure movements and behaviors of the other schoolgirls. A perfect foil for Mary, Rosalie Wells (Annabelle Mudge) epitomized innocence with her uncertain tone and candid personality.

Direction by student Nate Hess created intriguing stage pictures and meaningful blocking. Wood flats and a wooden floor developed an intimate setting for the school compared to the refined paint on the other sides of the set pieces depicting the Tilford residence. Detailed props and time-period appropriate costumes further enhanced the efficacy of the production. Lighting and sound were simple and occasionally were made focal to great effect, as with memorable backlit silhouettes. Haunting music played during scene transitions echoing the solemn nature of the show.

The shadows that flickered across the stage mimicked the half-truths contorting the plot, and the faces peering out from behind walls and doors served as a powerful reminder that someone is always listening in judgment. Through compelling imagery and persuasive acting, H-B Woodlawn's production of "The Children's Hour" demonstrated the pernicious properties of one little girl telling one little lie.

Syona Ayyankeril
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Washington Post - Alex/Arl

"Full of wiles, full of guile, at all times, in all ways, are the children of Men." Aristophanes words certainly seemed to hold true this weekend for young Mary Tilford, a character from H-B Woodlawn's production of "The Children's Hour",in which malicious gossip from one spiteful child results in the ruin of several adult lives.

Written in 1934 by Lillian Hellman, "The Children's Hour" is a drama that is centered on Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, two long time friends who run a girls' boarding school. After years of hard work and dedication to the school, they are finally enjoying professional success. However, when one angry little girl spins a lie to her grandmother, accusing Karen and Martha of having an "unnatural" sexual affair, it destroys their careers and their relationships, and tears apart their whole world.

Julie Kashmanian and Erin Claeys starred as Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. Claeys' great presence and engaging energy resulted in a performance that demanded attention and dominated the stage. The two actresses complemented each other effectively; Kashmanian's compellingly withdrawn calmness contrasted strikingly with Claeys' raw emotional outbursts. Kashmanian also created tender moments with Santiago Mallan, who played Karen's fiancé Joe and spoke authoritatively with charisma and ease.

Ariel Shenkman shone as the manipulative Mary Tilford, employing eerily sudden shifts from sweet, loving granddaughter to vicious conspirer and bully. Annabelle Mudge stood out as Rosalie, a charming girl, but an easily manipulated pawn in Mary's game. Mudge's performance was earnest and engaged, displaying great versatility and outstanding commitment to realism.

Student director Nate Hess' use of silhouettes through a shadow screen added another layer of complex subtlety to an already poignant piece. The production was enhanced by detailed costumes, faithful to the time period, and a set that smoothly changed from schoolhouse to mansion and back.

Despite its taking place over 80 years ago, "The Children's Hour" provides highly relevant commentary on the danger of gossip and the destructive power of deception and falsity -- especially in our increasingly digital world, where rumor spreads faster and farther than ever before. "The Children's Hour" serves as a valuable reminder that a single lie has the capacity to destroy entire lives.

Clara Poteet
Fairfax High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com - ARL/MC/Mont/DC

Opening innocently enough with adorable schoolgirls in matching navy jumpers, HB Woodlawn's "The Children's Hour" quickly spirals into a maze of lies, betrayal, and heartbreak.

Lillian Hellman wrote the play in 1934, based on the true story of two Scottish headmistresses in 1810. It traces the destruction of Martha Dobie's and Karen Wright's lives and relationships after a student, Mary Tilford, falsely accuses them of being lovers. "The Children's Hour" remains poignantly pertinent today and deals with themes such as the savage power of gossip and the injurious effects of the stigma attached to lesbian couples.

The talented cast from H-B Woodlawn, under the remarkable student direction of Nate Hess, tackled this head-on and produced a superb adaptation of near professional quality.

The two lead actresses developed a nuanced and believable bond of friendship that frayed wretchedly over the course of the evening. Karen (Julie Kashmanian) quietly held her own throughout, while Martha (Erin Claeys) proved the more outspoken of the two, deftly varying her levels. The audience felt a chill run down their backs when, near the end, Martha broke down, shivering, shrieking, sobbing, but suddenly grew terribly calm, breathed "goodnight darling", and withdrew.

Santiago Mallan, as Karen's fiancé, Joe Cardin, easily slipped into scenes with the self assurance and geniality that come from being a country doctor, loosely holding a cigarette in one hand and a stethoscope in the other. He struck a fine balance between a calm professional and a vehement man defending his love, purposefully pacing to and fro.

Mary Tilford (Ariel Shenkman) was terrifyingly brilliant at being horribly nasty. She pulled off the emotional and physical manipulation with aplomb, and the audience gasped as she forced another girl to swear fealty to her.

Although there were some projection issues and unmotivated moments, the rest of the cast had high energy and specific character choices. Lily Mortar's (Chloe Dillon) high-pitched wailing about the "paaains of adversity" she had faced as an actress and Amelia Tilford's (Eliza Bracy) practically blind, disastrous devotion to her granddaughter, Mary, especially stood out.

Salome Gongadze's costumes were meticulously researched, historically accurate, and showed character evolution. Karen wore a bright red dress in the first act, but, by the second, was wearing bleak black and even the polka dots looked morose.

The set consisted of period furniture and six double-sided wooden panels that were decorated as Mrs. Tilford's green and peach floral parlor and the traditional schoolroom. Both locations were dotted with choice props, from a portrait of FDR to brandy in a cut-glass decanter.

Closing with the haunting image of a ghostly pale Karen dwarfed by a sickly chartreuse armchair and the larger than life spectral silhouette of Mary Tilford in the background, H-B Woodlawn's production of "The Children's Hour" blew away the audience with a mature, contentious, and relevant performance.