From the Artistic Director

Dear Friends,

Ruined, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, personifies theatre’s power to bring the world to our doorstep and make us listen and care.

Reports of the wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo rarely make the front pages of our newspapers, and major occurrences have been at a distance from our daily lives. In Ruined, we are immediately drawn into the mercurial world of Mama Nadi’s bar and brothel on the edge of a rainforest, where Congolese miners and soldiers come for respite. The women under her aegis, victimized by soldiers as the spoils of war, are refugees from plundered villages in the region.

Savvy and morally ambiguous, Mama Nadi exploits her women but also protects them. She lays down the rules for the men who frequent her tiny oasis: no bullets, no brawling and leave the war at the door. As the plight of the women is brought to the fore, their pain and suffering is given voice. We cannot turn our eyes from the brutal impact of their experiences as they navigate the treacherous line between life and death. The miracle of Nottage’s Ruined is that it celebrates the women’s resilience and victory over despair — they find hope where there appears to be none.

Under the circumstances of the strife in the Congo, interactions between men and women are fraught with danger and suspicion. Yet, they drink, dance and sing in defiance of the hellish conflicts that can disrupt their reprieve at any moment. Music, food, drink, sex and an occasional poem become tethers to the lifeblood of the Congo and their humanity.

I’m extremely proud to partner with the Huntington Theatre Company and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, where our production will travel after its run at the Playhouse. When I first saw the play, I was riveted and ultimately shaken by its power. It lingered with me for a long time. I hope it will with you.

Sincerely,
Christopher Ashley
Artistic Director

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