This piece may be only 20 pages but what Dana Hall does with them is quite remarkable. This play is subtly powerful and resonates so deeply for me. Dealing with the end of life, and the difficulties a grown child might have with their aging parents, are challenging in the best of circumstances — and these, of course, are not. Dana has proven herself to be a powerful writer. I know this because I know her work. This play deserves to be among her best.

As someone with definite hoarder-like tendencies, there was a lot I could relate to in this piece. Dealing with aging parents is never easy, for either the parents or children, and Hall captures the love, care, and frustration of this stressful time with clarity and compassion. Sweet, funny, and heartfelt.

UNDERNEATH by Dana Hall is a touching story capturing the emotional battle of whether to keep or toss seemingly silly mementos that adult children often deal with as their older parents shift into the next phase of life. This play is a nice reminder that it isn’t the “thing” that’s important, but the joy and the memories each item holds, creating a family’s history. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this lovely addition to Rhino Theatre’s 6th Annual One Act Jamboree.