A play that holds Molly in the ways the rest of the world does not. A pastoral, existential play about feeling disregarded, disconnected, in disrepair. And for what? Sometimes there isn't a reason that you're picked last again, and again, and again. But it's hard to not take personally, and that's what this play (to me) details. Through no ones fault, Molly is set adrift. But the play itself cares for Molly: we watch her for a long time, we sit with her for a long time, we grow attached to her. Excited to read more of Tess Berger's work!

From the first lines Tess Berger is interested in setting a certain atmosphere, but the undercurrent encompasses a whole spectrum of moods with what it leaves up for observation. Berger wants us to spend time with the characters and it's a good thing, too, because these characters shouldn't be rushed, seeing as they barely have a hold on where they are - existentially. Each scene has a clever set-up to let Berger paint some human comedy out of what could easily have been human tragedy. The craftsmanship and poetry of the overall piece is a gorgeous and most remarkable achievement.

Tess Berger has written an interesting play in “the trail to dry creek” the delves into the psyche of a young woman experiencing a minor existential crisis - one which is extremely relatable. I love the way Tess crafts a counterpoint to Molly’s reality in the form of a well-meaning yet naive young man (Robbie) - and I love how Molly connects with Robbie. Interesting characters and natural dialogue complement the simple, yet impactful tale of a short holiday at a cabin. I’ll be thinking of this one for a while.