TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
LECTURE American socialite Wallis Simpson’s intended marriage to the British king Edward VIII caused a constitutional crisis that led to Edward abdicating his throne and birthright in the 1930s. Historical biographer Andrew Morton has used letters, diary entries, and other rare records to conjure a fresh portrait of Simpson in his new book Wallis in Love, where he describes the individuals she networked with on her path up the social ladder. In conjunction with Smithsonian Associates, Morton will present his portrait of Simpson in a lecture entitled “Wallis in Love: Andrew Morton on the Untold Life of the Duchess of Windsor” at the S. Dillon Ripley Center. $30, 6:45 PM.
IMPROV Try your hand at improv comedy: Washington Improv Theater’s free Improv For All workshops offer an opportunity to try spontaneous theater in a low-stress environment. Check out one of these weekly classes at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) to figure out if improv is for you—or just to blow off steam on one silly night. Through March 20. Free, 7 PM.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
FILM French actress Isabelle Huppert stars in the 2016 film Souvenir as a former singer turned factory worker. She forms a friendship with a new coworker, who recognizes her from her past and encourages her to seek a comeback and redemption. The film screens at the Avalon. $12.50, 8 PM.
BOOKS Author Brittney Cooper dispels the stereotype of the angry black woman in her manifesto Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower. Drawing on icons such as Serena Williams and Michelle Obama, Cooper shows how rage can fuel accomplishment and encourages women to continue to channel their anger to speak out against injustice. Cooper will speak about her book at Politics & Prose. Free, 7 PM.
