Lillian Hellman’s 1934 play The Children’s Hour is set in a boarding school in 1930s New England run by two women, Karen Wright and Martha Dobie. When a student runs away from the school, they become entangled in a story of deceit, shame and courage.

A potent exploration of a culture of fear, The Children’s Hour was banned in several cities in America and also in London, though it did receive its UK premiere there in 1936.

This production of The Children’s Hour stars Keira Knightley and Elisabeth Moss as Karen and Martha. Knightley, who made her West End debut in The Misanthrope last year, is known the world over for her films, which include Atonement, The Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy, Pride And Prejudice, Bend It Like Beckham and new release Never Let Me Go. Moss is an American actress who stars in the popular drama Mad Men and was previously seen in The West Wing. She appeared on Broadway in 2008 in Speed-The-Plow.

The Children’s Hour director Ian Rickson is the former Artistic Director of the Royal Court whose vast career includes recent hit play Jerusalem.

For more about The Children’s Hour at the Comedy theatre read the First Night Feature or the Big Interview with Ellen Burstyn.