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AFFINITY LUNCH MINUTES by Nick Malakhow

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  • Ashlyn Cox:
    6 Dec. 2023
    “ I had to sit with this play for a few moments to just breathe. Malakhow created such an impactful and real story that goes to complex places beneath the surface that current day society is too afraid to talk about. I loved the uncomfortable feeling I got while reading because of how truthful the characters are with what they say, and how they say it. Affinity Lunch Minutes is a must-read and a great way to self-reflect on ourselves and society as these issues are ever so present. With a hopeful ending, Malakhow created a story of finding justice. ”
  • Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend:
    9 Jan. 2023
    “ I've been sitting here trying to put into words what I want to say about this play for a while now, and I'm not sure what I can say to do it justice. I love that all the characters are flawed and it doesn't feel preachy. I love that the play will make Black theater goers feel seen and force white theater goers to self-reflect. I especially love the confrontation between Jasmine and Cal being played three different times, in three different tones. This play has been in my reading list for a WHILE, and it was worth the wait. ”
  • Matthew Libby:
    2 Jun. 2022
    “ I read this play yesterday and haven't stopped thinking about it since. A tremendous piece of work that goes to some incredibly complex, nuanced, and furious places with such ease and confidence, only to end on a note of radical hopefulness. Gripping dilemmas, vivid, unforgettable characters - this was a true privilege to read! ”
  • Ben F. Locke:
    28 Apr. 2022
    “ I really love this play! It's amazing to see what happens when We write OUR stories. This play goes ways deeper than just what's on the surface. It not only tackles allyship for white people but also the complexities of intersectional allyship. I loved that everyone is so flawed and working through how to make sense of what is the best decision to make for themselves and for the good of the other. This is a show that makes you feel icky yet hopeful and I really love that uncomfortable and conflicting feeling. ”
  • Kane Normandy:
    22 Apr. 2022
    “ You know those plays that are like a pressure cooker, where they're really fresh but need some time, heat and steam to come out a perfect meal? This is one of those plays that is super important right now to read but when we (hopefully) see it hit a major stage soon, it will have grown even further in its impact and will bring in all those hungry patrons ready to feast upon how fabulous it is. Truly a wonderful, wonderful play. ”
  • Kyle Smith:
    18 Feb. 2022
    “ This play is gripping, thoughtful, deeply felt, infuriating, and so so hopeful. I couldn’t stop the torrent of tears from coming out when I got to the final scene and Ben’s powerful moment of change. This play is so necessary for so many reasons, and I will be checking frequently to see if and when this incredible play makes it to NYC. ”
  • Emma Wood:
    27 Dec. 2021
    “ A great many well expressed words have already been written about this outstanding play. I let it sit with me for a few days before writing, because there's so much worthy of praise it's hard to sum up what hit me most. But for me it was that moment in the simple but powerful climax when a character who has long made excuses for himself and others stands up. He knows he has much to lose, and any gains will be hard fought and long term, but he will not continue to leave the 'heavy lifting' to others. Produce this! ”
  • Jordan Ramirez Puckett:
    17 Nov. 2021
    “ I had the pleasure of seeing a virtual reading of AFFINITY LUNCH MINUTES as part of Orlando Shakes Playfest. This play made me laugh, made me think, and made me feel for the characters. In a time when it’s so easy to be divisive and force sides, this play is a nuanced look at the implicit biases and injustices at a predominantly white Quaker school. I genuinely hope to see a full production of this play soon! ”
  • Alexander Pine:
    9 Oct. 2021
    “ Flawlessly utilizing academia as a microcosm of how the White status-quo effortlessly manipulates systems designed for them. The Quaker setting heightens the trope of the well-meaning, but self-involved White progressive-aspiring community.

    Malakhow’s most ingenious feat is depicting the enormity of both the school’s inner world and the larger systemic conflicts of our world with only four main characters.

    It’s taut and gripping and I couldnt put it down. ”
  • Caridad Svich:
    27 Sep. 2021
    “ Powerful, truthful, heartfelt piece about the persistent microaggressions at play in a private Quaker school where there are only two Black teachers. Tackling systemic racism head-on, Malakhow writes with accuracy, pain and maturity about the complex and unresolved spaces in which the US and its education system find themselves when it comes to true diversity, equity and inclusion. ”

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