Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Mother Lear Performance

Presented in partnership with We Players

Performances in the Garden | August 24–28

In Mother Lear, written and performed by Ava Roy and Courtney Walsh and originally produced by We Players, an irascible middle-aged scholar with dementia communicates with her caretaker daughter using only the text of King Lear, as the two struggle with aging, love, and their own balance of power. Each 50-minute performance is followed by a facilitated discussion with the audience.

Co-creators Ava Roy and Courtney Walsh debuted the piece in 2017 and have performed it in over 25 locations. To honor the subject matter and create a realistic portrayal, both have extensively researched the challenges of end of life care with Walsh having spent well over 100 hours observing dementia patients. The work has been called “heartrending” (Marin Independent Journal) and “a winding emotional journey” (Theatrius). This is the first performance of Mother Lear on the East Coast.

Performance dates

Wednesday–Friday, August 24–26, 2022 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 27, 2022 | 1–2:30 p.m. & 6–7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 28, 2022 | 4–5:30 p.m.

The Cast
Courtney Walsh: Lear
Ava Roy: Cordelia

Tickets: $40 ($36 for Garden members)

Discount ticket code: MEMORY22 unlocks 2 tickets @ $36 each for every performance Aug 24 – Aug 28.