EXIT Theatre Presents THE SNOW WALK OF THE EMPRESS MATILDA

The Snow Walk of the Empress Matilda" comes to life at 7pm January 28, 2021 in a one-time live online performance on EXIT Theatre's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/EXITtheatresf and www.youtube.com/exittheatre.

The online performance is a benefit for EXIT Theatre where Bousel and Luedtke have been resident artists. Frequent Bousel collaborator, Nick Trengove, joins the project as director.

"The Snow Walk of the Empress Matilda" is the initial offering of EXIT Theatre Presents, an online series by EXIT Theatre created to stream original performances. EXIT Theatre is a 37 year old theater company founded in San Francisco in 1983 by artistic director Christina Augello.

The Empress Matilda (1102-1167), fighting a war for the crown of England against her cousin Stephen of Blois (1092-1154), reflects on her life and the struggle to reconcile the strength required for her position with her human weaknesses and insecurities. She stands at the edge of a winter forest, waiting to meet the convoy that will whisk her out of harm's way, remembers confronting the Londoners who protested her coronation and spins out the tale of how she came to be Lady of England and everything she lost to get there - including her much beloved younger brother, William Adeline.

Bousel says Matilda "is a story of resilience in the face of true existential threat- and the demons such moments often force us to confront." Luedtke says "sometimes you have to make that journey in what feels like a winter wilderness" and director Nick says the play is a "beautifully fraught piece that is part The Crown-esque historical fiction and part chilling meditation on isolation."