Matthew López play Reverberation gets UK premiere at Bristol Old Vic

Bristol Old Vic theatre will stage the UK premiere of Reverberation, a play by Tony and Olivier award winner Matthew López.

López is known for his international hit play The Inheritance which premiered at the Young Vic in London before transferring to the West End and Broadway; his recent work includes the musical stage adaptation of Some Like It Hot and the Amazon series Red, White and Royal Blue.

Written three years before The Inheritance, Reverberation follows a man who retreats into a digital bubble following a tragedy – until a neighbour upstairs upends his world. This brand new production has been reshaped by López transposing the action from America to London.

Directing the show is Jack Sain with the creative team to include set & costume deisgner Ti Green, sound designer Nicola T Chang (For Black Boys…), lighting designer Robbie Butler (The Glass Menagerie), video designer Daniel Denton (Misty) and intimacy co-ordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt (Red, White and Royal Blue).

Reverberation will run at Bristol Old Vic later this year, from 2 October to 2 November 2024.

What they said:

Jack Sain said: “It’s a privilege to direct Matthew’s extraordinary play for Bristol Old Vic. British audiences have known that he is a force to be reckoned with since The Inheritance. I can’t wait for people to see Reverberation: a wholly different work, but with his trademark lyrical dialogue and excavation of humanity.

Reverberation is a unique piece of writing: at times tender, at others visceral; at times hilarious, at others disconcerting. It is a play about lost souls finding each other in the dark, about loneliness and longing, comfort and denial. I’m grateful to Matthew for entrusting us with it, for shaping it for a new era, and for this beautiful theatre. We look forward to showing you what we have in store.”

Matthew López said: “I am overjoyed to bring my play Reverberation to Bristol Old Vic under the direction of Jack Sain. In the years since the premiere of The Inheritance, the UK has become my creative and literal home. I am excited to be back in front of a British audience with my first UK-set play.”

Bristol Old Vic’s Artistic Director Nancy Medina said: “Reading Reverberation for the first time felt like a much-needed balm for my heart and soul. The beauty in the writing and the tenderness of the relationships reminded me how much we truly need and deserve human connection, generosity and love – especially in this troubled time we are in globally and still reeling from the aftermath of the pandemic. This is a play we need right now, and we are so excited to share this with Bristol.”