Audition Details

Thank you for your interest in auditioning for West End Players' production of Lucy Kirkwood's "The Children" directed by Jennie Brick.

General Audition: Saturday, December 6th, 10AM-4PM

Callback: Sunday, December 7th, time to be determined

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Rehearsals will begin on or near January 16th, 2026Rehearsal commitment will most likely be 3 weeknights and one weekend day up until tech weekend of February 7-8, 2026Final Dress Rehearsal February 12th, 2026Run February 13-15, 19-22, 2026

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The following is a synopsis of the play and character breakdowns. For the audition on December 6th please select sides for the character you would like to audition for. Please be as prepared as possible with the sides but you DO NOT NEED TO BE MEMORIZED. You do not need to attempt a British accent unless it is something you are very comfortable with. We may not have time to get to both sides but please be familiar with them both."The Children" is set in ‘a small cottage on the east coast’ of England, where Hazel and Robin, two retired nuclear scientists in their mid-sixties, are living. A recent disaster at the local power station where they used to work has devastated the area and they live under the threat of radiation pollution. Electricity and water are rationed and they keep a Geiger counter to check for signs of radiation. However, Hazel is determined to preserve some semblance of normality and live the healthiest life she possibly can. So, Robin now farms, while Hazel practices yoga and devours salad. But when Rose, a former colleague whom they haven’t seen for 38 years, suddenly turns up, she disrupts their precariously ordered existence. Rose is determined that they must fix the problems they have caused for the next generation, even if it means certain death.

Hazel (British) is a retired nuclear scientist in her 60’s, living in a remote cottage off the British coast, with her husband. She is organized, likes structure and purpose to her life. She is about routine and the ritual of daily life, she is a determined and practical woman, maintaining her health, through diet and yoga. Control of the body helps control of the mind, despite the exclusion zone that they live in, and the air quality and the restrictions which are outside of Hazel’s control. If she has control of this she can somehow control and manage the threat of death, the threat of disease, of the ever threatening cancer. She portrays a strong and confident exterior however we can sense her fragile interior, it is as if she is always just waiting, expecting it to fall apart. She is married to Robin and has four children. The eldest of which is Lauren. It is revealed that her pregnancy with Lauren appeared to be a ‘mistake’, a notable exception for Hazel who carefully plans and arranges her life.

​​Rose (British) is also a retired nuclear scientist in her 60’s who worked with Hazel and Robin. However she is almost the opposite to Hazel, embracing the chaos and unpredictability of life. She is single, and has no children, although we understand she has had relationships and has deliberately made the choice to not have children. She has been living abroad, and has a relaxed and carefree approach to life and relationships. She is at ease with her age, her health and her sexuality. She understands that death is unavoidable, and that the deal has been made in terms of health. And we can’t negotiate out of it.

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​​Robin (British) plays the third of the retired nuclear scientists that worked at the nuclear plant before the explosion. He is married to Hazel and has four children, two daughters and two sons, but we come to discover that he also has had a previous relationship with Rose. He is portrayed as thoughtful and intelligent, caring and accommodating. It is when Rose appears that we begin to see that all is not as it appears with Robin. He has been hiding things, and not fully honest with Hazel. We can feel him take a turn toward redeeming the choices they made when they were younger. He adopts a more rebellious yet responsible attitude, seemingly disregarding how Hazel feels. He is more fatalistic in terms of the future ahead of them.

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