I recently had the pleasure of reading All the Pretty Colorful Bottles Under the Sink by Hannah Lee DeFrates, and I must say, it is a truly remarkable piece of theatre. The narrative revolves around Audrey, who is haunted by a tragic event that she is struggling to accept. The repetitive, cyclical nature of the conversation effectively conveys the feeling of being trapped in a moment of time. The message in this haunting piece will linger long after the final lines.

As with much of Hannah Lee DeFrates’ work, this one has you immediately questioning whether this is the real world, a dream, and what’s really going on with these characters. All that creates a sense of tension and uncertainty that never lets up even as the truth is slowly revealed. DeFrates creates such stunning imagery, this play, and others of hers, really need to be staged.

This story is soul-tearing. We all have those intrusive thoughts. "What if I drove off this bridge?" "What if...I made poison punch?" The despair Audrey has for her impulsive actions are very real and powerful. And even more devastating is, apologies won't ever help. This would be a great piece for student actors to perform and really talk about after!