“I was trying to write something very intense, and very simple, about our nature: how we try to be fearless…” – Jez Butterworth

“What [The River] shares with its predecessor [Jerusalem] is a belief in the numinous and in personalities that defy ready analysis. One exits the theater asking questions, and enriched.” —New York Times

“Butterworth [is] also writing a metatheatrical reflection on drama, trying to see what happens when you invent a set of new, introspective rules for a play.” —The Oxford Culture Review

A remote cabin. A rushing river. Two strangers—and secrets as deep as the water below. In Jez Butterworth's mesmerizing The River, an ordinary weekend unfolds into a haunting exploration of love, loss, and the mysteries we keep hidden, even from ourselves. Rich with lyrical dialogue and quiet tension, this gripping psychological drama invites you into a world where nature mirrors the human heart and every cast line reaches toward the unknown. Speaking about his writing process for The River, Butterworth reveals, “I think that it's like a treasure hunt where you're following the signs, following the breadcrumbs. And, I use as my guide whether or not I'm getting goosebumps in what happens next. And I won't go down roads where they're not available. And I rely on the fact that those goosebumps equal some kind of truth—that if I get them, somebody else might get them.”

Performances will be from September 10–20. FUSION performances will be on Thursdays & Fridays at 7 PM, Saturdays at 2 PM & 7 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM. Opening night features a pre-show reception with doors opening at 6 PM! An additional performance will be at Taos Center for the Arts on Sunday, September 20, at 3 PM.

FUSION | The Cell
700 1st. St. NW
Downtown ABQ

Subscriptions: General Admission: $110 | Seniors over 65: $100 | Students: $55
Individual Tickets: General Admission: $40 | Seniors over 65: $35 | Students: $20

Thanks to the City of Albuquerque, Pay What You Wish Ticketing is available!

Learn more about THE RIVER and FUSION's upcoming production in an interview with director Michael Samuel Kaplan, "Butterworth at FUSION: In Conversation with Michael Samuel Kaplan," and an interview with actor Tiffany Cole, "Tiffany Cole: Actor and FUSION Community Member," by FUSION staff writer Rudolfo Carrillo.