Aurora Theatre Company presents Bay Area Premiere of SPLENDOUR

Aurora Theatre Company closes its 25th season with the Bay Area Premiere of SPLENDOUR, Abi Morgan's (Suffragette, The Iron Lady, Shame, The Hour) riveting play about the fragility of power and the unreliability of language. In the dripping-with-wealth drawing room of a presidential palace, a Western photojournalist awaits the return of a dictator. She is there to take his picture only the dictator in question is running very, very late. The sounds of gunfire from the streets and rumors of revolution swirling in the air reveal that something has also gone very, very wrong. The dictator's wife, her best friend, and an interpreter wait with her. They talk films and Prada shoes as their fingers lightly tap out the time. All four women harbor secrets and suspicions. All four are in danger. In a fascinating, non-linear structure, this lush piece returns over and over to earlier scenes, each time with the knowledge of what has been uncovered since. Compassionate, dispassionate, and icily probing, SPLENDOUR allows a devastating glimpse into the minds of four women as their world turns.

Barbara Damashek (American Buffalo) returns to Aurora to helm this drama The Evening Standard called "Splendid," and about whichThe Huffington Post stated, "...how good it [is] to see a play about power and human fallibility told from a female perspective," and The Telegraph said, "In radically showing a tense, fracturing situation from conflicting angles, the play not only represents an inspired marriage of form and content but resonates strongly with our anxious age of ethno-political disintegration. The result is a mixture of perturbing comedy and gathering dread: shards of a drama we must piece together." Featuring Denmo Ibraheim (Betrayed), Lorri Holt (The Aspern Papers),Sam Jackson, and Mia Tagano.

Tuesday at 7pm; Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm; Sunday at 2pm, 7pm. Aurora Theatre Company, 2081 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA, For tickets (Previews $36; Regular Performances $32-56; Limited Opening Night Seating $65) the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visitauroratheatre.org. Half-off tickets for Under 35; student, and group discounts available.

Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges Season Restaurant Sponsor Gecko Gecko and Season Floral Sponsor Darling Flowers for their support.

Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges Sponsors Cindy and Stephen Snow, and Alison Teeman and Michael Yovino-Young, and Associate Sponsors Leah and Neil MacNeil, and Lisa and James Taylor for their support.

Aurora Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges the following foundations and government agencies for their support: Actors' Equity Foundation, Alameda County Arts Commission, Berkeley Civic Arts Program & Civic Arts Commission, The Fleishhacker Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Sam Mazza Foundation, The Bernard Osher Foundation, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, The Shubert Foundation, The Tournesol Project, and The Zellerbach Family Foundation.

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