A young White convict, Stu, new to the penal system, has become the cellmate of Vince, an older Black convict with a violent history. Through sly dialogue and monologues, Vince skillful plays on Stu's fears of what will happen to him if the gangs get hold of him. Once Stu is thoroughly terrified, Vince makes him an offer. It's never stated openly, but one can guess. Is it an offer Stu can't refuse? Vince is one of the most chilling characters you'll ever encounter. A devil indeed. Good work!

That was chilling. To watch the younger Stu slowly fall under Vince's spell. No violence, no physical force, just the underlying threat and the implications of it, simply stated. Ken Love has written some devastating dialogue here, and the characters are both instantly relatable. Vince may not be the "real" Devil, but he sure knows how to deal like one.

'The Deal' by Ken Love conjures up so many emotions in me as a reader. While the circumstances that the characters are in is not something I have experienced, the tension in the dialogue allowed for my imagination to take over. Suddenly, this became relatable. Chillingly and excellently written. As an audience member, I would love to see this unfold on stage.