A Walk in the Woods

Two superpower arms negotiators, a Russian and an American, meet informally in the woods on the outskirts of Geneva. The Russian, Botvinnik, is urbane and humorous but also seasoned and cynical. His American counterpart, Honeyman, is inquisitive and determined, fervently hopeful about what can—and must—be achieved to maintain peace.

They continue their informal meetings as the seasons change, and through these conversations, develop a friendship that belies the antagonisms of their nations.

Well-known and widely recognized Shakespeare & Company actors Allyn Burrows and Jonathan Epstein will appear together in Lee Blessing’s play directed by James Warwic.

Photo by Enrico Spada

Jonathan Epstein performs at Shakespeare & Company. Press photo courtesy of the theater.

The play runs from July 15 to September 4 at 1:30 p.m. on Fridays (except August 26) and 10 am. on Saturdays and Sundays outdoors in the Roman Garden Theatre.

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Allyn Burrows — John Honeyman

Shakespeare & Company’s artistic director, Burrows has directed many performances here incuding The Tempest (2017), As You Like It (2018) and Twelfth Night (2019) and performed here in God of Carnage, Or, King John, Much Ado About Nothing, Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Henry IV Part 1, among others. As Artistic Director of Actors’ Shakespeare Project, he has directed many productions and performed in The Winter’s Tale, Henry VIII, Twelfth Night, King Lear, and many more.

Performances in Boston include Can You Forgive Her (Huntington Theatre), Breaking the Code (Underground Railway Theatre), Shipwrecked (The Lyric Stage), The Seafarer and The Homecoming (Merrimack Repertory Theater), Five by Tenn(Speakeasy Stage). Elliot Norton Award for The Homecoming, King Lear, Five by Tenn; IRNE Award for Breaking the Code. Off-Broadway: Bug, Killer Joe, Louis Slotin Sonata, Closetland. Regionally: Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, American Conservatory Theatre, Long Wharf, Denver Center, Walnut St. Television: “The Broad Squad,” “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: Criminal Intent,” “Against the Law.” Films include The Company Men, Julie & Julia, Manchester by the Sea, and Don’t Look Up.

Jonathan Epstein (he / they) — Andrey Botvinnik

With Shapespeare & Company, Epstein has directed or acted in more than 60 productions since 1987 including Creditors, Henry V, Merchant of Venice, Tempest, Cymbeline, Midsummer, Merry Wives, Private Eyes, Brief Lives, Heroes, An Iliad and the title roles in King Lear, Henry IV, Richard III and Macbeth. In 1990 he created the role of The Men in Tina Packer’s original Women of Will.

He has performed on and off-Broadway and at scores of regional theatres around the country including Berkshire Theatre Festival (Amadeus, Cuckoo’s Nest, Via Dolorosa, Educating Rita…) and ART (Merchant of Venice, Phaedra, Paradise Lost). He is a two-time recipient of the Elliot Norton Award and is Teaching Professor of Classical Performance at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training where this year he adapted and directed their production of 12th Night. He and his wife, Ariel Bock, met onstage during The Aspern Papers (1991).