God Bless the Child, Royal Court

Pint-sized insurgents 
In a creative re-working of very real contemporary frustrations with the education sector, God Bless the Child shows the power of children to rebel against constrictions. The class of 4N attempt to override the authority that seek to control them. But just how powerful is a group of eight-year-olds? 
Teacher turned playwright
Described by The Times as "another striking success from the Court's new writers season", Molly Davies's debut pay A Miracle demonstrated an impressive new talent and inspired a flurry of positive reviews. She went on to work with The National Youth Theatre on a reworking of the myth Orpheus and Eurydice, all the while keeping up with her other passion -- teaching. In God Bless the Child, Davies's experience with children and talent for story-telling combine as she creates a classroom on the stage, and gives an absorbingly accurate and unsentimental representation of childhood. 
As Davies's first return to the Royal Court since A Miracle in 2009, this show is hotly anticipated. Describing her relationship with the theatre to Ideas Tap , the playwright enthused : "they love writers! It doesn’t feel like you’re handing in work to be marked. It feels like an equal relationship. When you find out your first play is going on, before rehearsals start or anything, they kind of set you up with an established writer. I went to see a play and had a glass of wine with April de Angelis – it’s great because you can talk about any queries and get a writer’s perspective." 
Familiar faces
The talented cast includes Amanda Abbington, who's known for roles in Mr Selfridge and Sherlock (where she acted alongside her husband, fellow TV and stage star Martin Freeman). She'll be joined on stage by Nikki Amuka-Bird (Birdland, Royal Court) and Julie Hesmondhalgh, who recently left her long-standing role as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street to spend more time on the stage. Her sensitive and emotive handling of the final soap storyline established Hesmondhalgh as a notable talent. And, ago bring the classroom theme to full, chaotic life, there will also be a rotating cast of eight year olds.
Vicky Featherstone 
Along with Zinnie Harris's How to Hold Your Breath, this is the only other play that Royal Court Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone will be directing this season. The choice reflects Featherstone's own description of this programme of plays all fitting into the idea of revolution. And here we have perhaps the most playful, yet through-provoking rebellion of all.