Kirjahaku

Struggling to recover after an assault Jonah realizes the only way to heal is by mending the relationships with his family. A brutal and lyrical play aboutthe things we hang on to and the price of moving forward the bandaged place tells the story of one man's attempt to free himself from the abuses of his past."Unflinching... the bandaged place considers intimate partner violence and its aftershocks from a perspective not often seen - between men of color whose vulnerability may otherwise be overlooked or denied." - The New York Times"A jewel of a play... absolutely real." - The Daily Beast"It will make your heart bleed in many different ways; it is a thoughtful and excellent meditation on the long and winding road to healing." - New York Theatre Guide

'Look, you don't have to join the movement or whatever. You don't have to march or rally or call or write letters or even get fucking angry. I don't care about that. I don't. What I do care about is YOU.' Jesse, an introspective Black playwright, finds his choices challenged when his boyfriend, Neil, a white Black Lives Matter activist, calls him out for his political apathy. As passions and priorities collide, the two of them are forced to reckon with divisions of race and class, and the bravery it takes to love unconditionally. Harrison David Rivers's play This Bitter Earth is an intimate, romantic and gripping drama that explores what it means to love outside the box. It premiered at the New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco, in 2017. This edition was published alongside its production at Soho Theatre, London, in 2025, directed by Billy Porter and starring Omari Douglas and Alexander Lincoln.