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Stop Laughing Without Me by Philip Middleton Williams

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  • Brian Cern:
    1 Feb. 2024
    “ It’s all in the interpretation.
    Similar to“Arsenic and Old Lace,” question of intent versus result are very strong here. Because the playwright intended a drama, but landed with a comedy, does that make the message less meaningful? Or, for that matter, does it comment more on the reader, who’s comedic reading of a serious play might just reveal too much about themselves?
    A well paced two hander that reinforces PMW as a master of subtle and nuanced dialogue. Well done! ”
  • Jaxson Mackling:
    20 Jan. 2023
    “ As a playwright, are producers truly supposed to understand where the story is coming from and its intentions? Well for Claude, his intentions are final and will do nothing to stop getting his play produced the way he wants it done; the right way. WILLIAMS’ play “Stop Laughing With Me” is a look at just that. What does it truly mean to have your play produced the way the playwright intended. I want to see this produced. Lovely. Masterful. Well done! ”
  • Larry Rinkel:
    3 Mar. 2022
    “ Do we achieve our intentions when writing a play? Does the reader get what we expected, or do they respond more truly than we realize to what we actually wrote? Maybe Claude Balz's (Balls?) play is funnier than he thinks he is, or maybe producer Sid just doesn't get the intended serious meaning. Who knows. Either way, Philip's delightful short reminds me of Oscar Wilde's classic line about Dickens's "Old Curiosity Shop": “One must have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without laughing.” ”
  • Morey Norkin:
    3 Mar. 2022
    “ Maybe the funniest, and certainly the most unexpected line I’ve read in some time! Took me in hook, line, and sinker. That would be the ending of Philip Middleton Williams’ insightful short play. Leading up to this, is a look at what I believe most (all?) playwrights worry about when they hand their work over for production: do they get it? Of course, in Claude’s case, a little self-awareness would have been helpful. I’m going to find myself bursting into laughter whenever that line pops into my head! ”
  • Adam Richter:
    3 Mar. 2022
    “ I don't know why they say comedy is hard. For the main character in Philip Middleton Williams' short play, it was literally effortless. The gap between how we want our work to be seen an and how it is seen varies in size, but here it's a gaping maw.
    Therein lies the tragedy.
    Or in this case, the comedy.
    "Stop Laughing Without Me" is a comic gem with a brilliant kicker at the end. This is a great two-hander that would be perfect for an evening of short plays. ”
  • Robert J. LeBlanc:
    2 Mar. 2022
    “ A playwright's work can only really exist when translated by another. Sometimes that translation is far away from the playwright's intention. STOP LAUGHING WITHOUT ME is a wonderful example of a translation gone wrong as much as it is a commentary about the power of comedy in drama. Like all good satires, this play is grounded in truth. As the play says, it will leave you laughing, and through that laughter, it'll make you remember the issue at the root of the comedy. I really enjoyed this play. ”
  • Steven G. Martin:
    20 Feb. 2022
    “ I enjoyed not knowing where Philip Middleton Williams would end this short comic play. It felt the arguments of Creator v. Beholder was fairly balanced throughout -- including some poor arguments on both side. Then, the ending hit hard.

    This is a quite funny and insightful play about what art means to different people. I enjoyed it very much. ”
  • Arianna Rose:
    1 Dec. 2021
    “ This was such a fun read! I love plays that surprise me, and playwright Philip Middleton Williams has done that repeatedly throughout Stop Laughing Without Me. I found myself rooting for first one character, then the other, with a terrific twist at the end. Having been both playwright and producer I can relate. Well crafted, and a delight. Would love to see this one live on stage! ”
  • Lee R. Lawing:
    30 Nov. 2021
    “ What is the saying, one man's junk is another man's treasure. This play had me laughing because for myself, I always want to write comedies, but they end up not being funny enough to classify as them. I feel for Claude so much because in the end, an artist must be true to himself regardless the paycheck. ”
  • Nora Louise Syran:
    29 Nov. 2021
    “ "Art is not what you see, but what you make others see" --Edgar Degas This is no easy task. We can relate to both playwright and producer. I very much appreciated the ending's final twist of the proverbial knife. Great cringeworthy fun! ”

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