WORLD PREMIERE April 24 - May 15, 2005 Julianne Argyros Stage by Lucinda Coxon directed by David Emmes Riviera, Media Partner Part of the 8th Annual Pacific Playwrights Festival

The Woman (Natacha Roi) examines bone fragments from the eruption at Pompeii while The Man (Tony Ward), curious about her work looks on. Photo by Ken Howard.

At a resort near Naples, the man and woman who share a villa are strangers. They arrived separately, expecting to enjoy peaceful holidays — alone. But their lives become entwined in the shadow of Mt. Vesuvius, where there is a different conception of time.  A young man was here once, not so long ago, bringing joy and a zest for life.  And yet, like the people of Pompeii, he lived on the edge.  Through the shadows, the man and woman recall loved ones lost, lost ones found — and an acceptance of life's joys and limits.

Playwright:
Lucinda Coxon wrote Nostalgia on a commission from SCR, where it received its world premiere in September 2001. Her plays Waiting at the Water’s Edge and Wishbones, which premiered to critical acclaim at London’s Bush Theatre, have since been produced across the U.K. and the U.S. Other theatre works include an adaptation of the Tarjei Vesaas novel The Ice Palace, an original multimedia piece Three Graces, and the monologue I am Angela Brazil by Angela Brazil. Coxon is currently working on a play commission for the Royal Court Theatre and screenplays for the BBC among others.

Cast:
Dr. Paul - David Paul Francis
The Girl - Jennifer Hinds
Miguel - Bobby Plasencia
The Woman - Natacha Roi
The Man - Tony Ward

Recommendation and Resources:
All audiences, high school and above, will be drawn into the compelling story about the lure of life's calamities and our response to them. Some strong language.