Event

Melancholy Play

Opens Saturday, May 28, through Sunday, June 19
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8PM | Sundays at 3PM
La Vals Subterranean Theater in Berkeley
1834 Euclid Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709

Ensemble: Jason Berner, Ben Davis, Eileen Fisher, Sakura Nakahara, Shawn Oda, and Omar Osario-Peña

Melancholy Play, is a contemporary farce that is the perfect antidote to the past two years. Melancholy in this play is not subdued or static, but vibrant, sexy, and exuberant. Emotions are worn on sleeves, big feelings are felt, scenes hurtle by like swirling almond flowers, and with live music by cellist Ben Davis, the ensemble immerses the audience in a world of quirky and delightful magical realism.

Theatre Lunatico was originally slated to perform Melancholy Play in the spring of 2020, and of course had to postpone the opening more than once! Returning to the play post-pandemic the script, as is often the case with theatre, takes on a whole new meaning. When Frances loses her sense of taste and smell, something absurd in 2019 becomes something ominous in 2022. When she then disappears and turns into an almond, the entire subplot becomes a metaphor for the enormous sense of loss that we have all grappled with in one form or another over the past two years.

So the play becomes both an antidote through its joy, and a catharsis through its sorrowmelancholic indeed!

COVID-19 Policy: Theatre Lunatico is a fully vaccinated and boosted company. All audience members are required to show proof of vaccination and must remain masked while inside the theater. Unfortunately we are unable to accept any exemptions from our COVID-19 Protocols. Performers will be unmasked during the performance.

Ticket Price: Lunatico Pricing - Tickets available in advance (choose your own price) and by donation at the door, space permitting
Suggested donation: $30
Students & artists: $15