Children of the Sun at the Abbey Theatre: A brilliant, inventive big-house play for a Europe in chaos

Until May 11

Nuanced portrayal: Stuart Graham in Children of the Sun. Photo: Ros Kavanagh

Katy Hayes

Rarely do I start a review by mentioning the set, but Sarah Bacon’s multi-platformed creation for this show is a total work of art — an installation of bric-a-brac that represents an archaeological dig of the Russian big house, then elegantly transforms into an impressionistic landscape for the more abstract Act 2, aided by Sarah Jane Shiels’ delightful lighting.

Adapting a 1905 play by Russian writer Maxim Gorky, playwright Hilary Fannin has created a beautifully written and challenging investigation of class politics. It makes huge demands on the audience for intellectual participation, and some of the leaps required are strenuous indeed. But this is a courageous, quirky and highly intelligent work, and is designed to keep Irish audiences on our toes. It is co-produced by Rough Magic and the Abbey.