Heartbreak House

World War I is gathering steam as an unlikely group of characters come together for a weekend party at the eccentric household of Captain Shotover and his daughter Hesione. Hesione Hushabye loves to manage the affairs of her friends, and this weekend, her target is Ellie, a levelheaded young woman who means to embark on a marriage to a much older man for his money. Add to the mix Hesione’s flirtatious husband Hector; Lady Ariadne Utterword, Hesione’s sister who hasn’t been home in 23 years; Ariadne’s brother-in-law Randall; Boss Mangan, the industrialist Ellie plans to marry; Ellie’s father Mazzini Dunn; and the devoted servant Nurse Guinness, and verbal sparks begin to fly. With its dazzling dialogue and intelligence, Heartbreak House takes a probing look at the conflict between old-fashioned idealism and the realities of the modern age. Kate Whoriskey directs.