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Hell Is Empty by TJ Young

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Recommendations

  • Mora V. Harris:
    29 Jul. 2022
    “ I was fortunate to see a reading of this play at the Pittsburgh Public Theatre and the audience was holding its breath the whole time. The relationships in this play feel complex and and lived in, like longterm friendships are. It's incredibly engaging to be jerked in and out of the easy teasing and banter of childhood friends to the violence of old wounds, secrets, and toxic revelations. A rich and weighty piece of theatre! ”
  • Isaac Byrne:
    4 Jul. 2021
    “ What seems to start off as a buddy comedy turns into a dramatic dive into friendship, promises, and on what a life well lived actually means. TJ Young writes deft dialogue and layered characters with poetic turns of phrase that can cut like a knife.” ”
  • Cheryl Bear:
    8 Jun. 2021
    “ Friendship is tested as boundaries are pushed to the limit and the question of where duties lie in friendship is at the forefront. Well done. ”
  • Toby Malone:
    26 May. 2021
    “ Some friendships run deeper than blood. Time, and experience, and shared memory are a powerful thing, and promises made as kids can become powerful weapons even as we grow into adulthood. In TJ Young's complex work in progress, we see the potential of a setup where long-made promises are cashed in based on 25 year old oaths, where the reality of the action becomes more confronting than anyone could have hoped. This play is a purgative, it is a love song to fraternal bonds. I'm enjoying watching this piece grow and deepen in its developmental process. Come for the ride. ”
  • David Beardsley:
    17 Oct. 2020
    “ What starts seemingly as a play about a raucous reunion of old friends takes a dark and difficult turn when we learn one of them is very ill and is asking the near-impossible of the others. As the conflict escalates, these friendships are pushed to the very limit, and we’re left to ask: What are our obligations as a “friend”? And, what constitutes a life “well-lived”? ”
  • Richard Lyons Conlon:
    27 Jul. 2020
    “ This extraordinary play crashes together four lifelong friends in a blistering crucible of repressed secrets, resentments and unrealistic demands.

    Young's blade-sharp dialogue sculpts characters so well-defined they become your old friends, too — for better or worse.

    "Hell is Empty" excels on myriad levels, from entertaining reunion drama to wrenching psychological test: What would you be willing to do for a friend after vowing to do . . . absolutely anything?

    The answer is revelatory to at least one character and cause for self-examination in the audience.

    This is a meaty, emotionally searing script that I can't wait to see. ”
  • Tyler Joseph Rossi:
    19 Jul. 2020
    “ How far would you go for a friend?

    Young's dark and beautifully crafted piece takes readers on a roller coaster ride, full of corkscrews, twists, turns and drops - deceptive drops. Ones that find a hidden, new depth. These characters are ones I want to take that deep dive with. Rich, full, and most importantly, full of life - and its that depth that adds to the tragedy of it all.

    A very strong piece for a work in progress. I look forward to seeing where it goes next. This one comes highly recommended. ”
  • John Bavoso:
    3 Jul. 2020
    “ What starts as a raucous night out between old friends quickly shifts to something darker and more existential as secrets are revealed and niceties abandoned. Young has a way with tempo and naturalistic dialogue; I really felt like I was in the room. HELL IS EMPTY is a powerful meditation on life, friendship, and death — well done! ”
  • Nick Malakhow:
    1 Jul. 2020
    “ A really compelling play about friendship, mortality, and how we change and stay the same as we come of age and grow apart (physically or emotionally). I loved the examination of male friendship and masculinity that was embedded in the characters' interactions in subtle and nuanced ways, especially the representation of multiple kinds of masculinities and how those traits informed relationships and each character's sense of self. Young has an amazing gift for tempo and structure--drawing us in with an energized, raucous beginning, unveiling key information at essential points/shifts, and ending both acts with stunning, well-earned dramatics. ”