I had the privilege to watch and listen to KILLING IT at the Sauk’s New Plays in Development program! This play makes you laugh, but makes you wonder if you should be laughing at all? It is full of wit, and horror that makes you unsettled just as Jon’s character feels. I enjoyed all the twists and turns in it. Plus, it opens doors for discussion of how do we deal with trauma and grief? Do we need to have a laugh over it? I hope to see a full staged production of this play in the future!

It’s certainly no secret that many standup comedians have experienced some kind of trauma in their lives whether or not they share it in their routines. However, with Jon, the central character here, there’s no routine without the trauma. Rebecca Kane skillfully weaves together humor, pain, and compassion into an extraordinary theatrical work.

A really sharp, unexpected blend of horror, humor and pathos. Jon is so meticulously written, his spiraling breakdown, disguised as standup comedy, a emotional gut punch. The other characters that haunt Jon’s life—real and imagined—create a fascinating world where what we’re seeing isn’t always what we’re seeing. After a reading I saw at The Sauk, the audience could not stop talking about this play—it touch them that deeply. I hope to see a fully staged production of this gem … and many more.