Love Letters
By A.R. Gurney
Directed by Richard Cotter
Season: 13th Jan - 28th Jan 2024
Preview night 12th Jan
Friday and Saturday nights at 7.30pm
Sunday matinée at 4.30pm
Running Time: 1hr 40mins including 15min interval
No Performance Australia Day
Please read our COVID Safety Guidelines before booking or attending a performance. Face masks are strongly recommended to attend this production.
Check which seats are available and choose from the seat map here:Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, both born to wealth and position, are childhood friends whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters through the boarding school and college years—where Andy goes on to excel at Yale and law school, while Melissa flunks out of a series of "good schools."
While Andy is off at war Melissa marries, but her attachment to Andy remains strong and she continues to keep in touch as he marries, becomes a successful attorney, gets involved in politics and, eventually, is elected to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, her marriage in tatters, Melissa dabbles in art and gigolos, drinks more than she should, and becomes estranged from her children.
The piece is comprised of letters exchanged over a lifetime between two people who grew up together, went their separate ways, but continued to share confidences. As the actors read the letters aloud, what is created is an evocative, touching, frequently funny but always telling pair of character studies in which what is implied is as revealing and meaningful as what is actually written down.
Production | |
Director | Richard Cotter |
Lighting Design | Cian Byrne |
Crew | |
Stage Manager | Mary Abraham Kayleigh Longuehaye Brooke McKenzie Amy Roberts |
Lighting Operation | Gregory George |
Cast | |
Andrew Makepeace Ladd III | Richard Cotter |
Melissa Gardner | Tricia Youlden |
LOVE LETTERS is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service collection. (www.dramatists.com)