Ben Ahlers And Victoria Pedretti To Star In Philip Ridley's TENDER NAPALM at Theaterlab

Ben Ahlers (HBO's The Gilded Age) and Victoria Pedretti (Broadway's The Enemy of the People, Netflix's You) are set to star in an intimate revival of Philip Ridley's Tender Napalm, a high-impact exploration of the relationship between two people and the violent world that surrounds them. Directed by Rory McGregor (The Lehman Trilogy revival and international tour), Tender Napalm will play for a strictly limited engagement at Theaterlab (357 W 36th Street, Manhattan) from November 27–December 15, 2024, with an opening set for Sunday, December 1.

Two lovers. A desert Island. Sea serpents. UFOs. Tsunamis. Unicorns. Atomic bombs. What is this thing...called love?

Philip Ridley's seminal Tender Napalm was hailed an instant classic when it premiered in London in 2011. Explosive, poetic and brutal, the play weaves a compelling tapestry to re-examine and re-define the language of love…and how that love struggles to survive in the face of catastrophe. It is also a bravura display of the theatrical world of barbaric beauty and soaring imagination that Ridley has made all his own.

“I'm so thrilled and excited – and utterly honored – that my play, Tender Napalm, is to be seen in New York again. And in the hands of a truly remarkable team,” said playwright Philip Ridley. “The brilliant director, Rory McGregor, whose work I admire greatly, and two breathtakingly talented young actors, the wonderful Ben Ahlers and Victoria Pedretti. Tender Napalm is about love. How we find it. How we nurture it. And how we try to save it in an increasingly dangerous and terrifying world. It seems like an apt time to be doing the play.”

“From the earliest moments of my career, Philip Ridley's work has had a profound impact on me and so I am thrilled to be directing Tender Napalm with these two extraordinary actors,” said director Rory McGregor. “Tender Napalm is a play I've wanted to direct for years and I've been looking to do something with Ben and Victoria for awhile, so it was kismet. I am so excited for New York audiences to see the special alchemy that these two gifted performers have together in Philip's heartbreaking and beautiful play.”

The creative team for Tender Napalm includes Brendan Gonzales Boston (set design), Avery Reed (costume design), Stacey Derosier (lighting design), Brian Hickey (sound design), and Freya Grant (general manager). Produced by Steady Hand Studios in association with Rory McGregor.

Performances will take place November 27–December 15, 2024, at Theaterlab, located at 357 W 36th Street, 3rd Floor in Manhattan. Critics are welcome as of November 30 for an opening on Sunday, December 1. The anticipated running time is 90 minutes, no intermission.

Tickets, which start at $50, can be purchased at  www.tendernapalmnyc.com.