THE WAY IT IS

by Donna Hoke

After eight years, Cane dumps fiancee Yasmine and is ready to propose to someone else--as soon as he retrieves his mother's engagement ring. Yasmine is ready to give it back, once she gets what she's been promised. In this taut two-hander, Yasmine and Cane face off over the truth of eight years together and arrive at life-changing consequences.

After eight years, Cane dumps fiancee Yasmine and is ready to propose to someone else--as soon as he retrieves his mother's engagement ring. Yasmine is ready to give it back, once she gets what she's been promised. In this taut two-hander, Yasmine and Cane face off over the truth of eight years together and arrive at life-changing consequences.

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THE WAY IT IS

Recommended by

  • Jess Wilson: THE WAY IT IS

    One of our company's guiding vision statements reads, ‘Provocative theatre. Contemporary playwrights. New works.’ This play encompasses all of that. Donna Hoke has crafted a piece which is simultaneously realistic and surreal - we recognize these characters, this couple, from our own lives, as people we know, people we spend time with. Yasmine, with a caring heart and passion for life, and Cane, with an easygoing attitude and carefree outlook. We spend the play learning and understanding who these people are - separately and together - and are destroyed with them at the end. I cannot recommend...

    One of our company's guiding vision statements reads, ‘Provocative theatre. Contemporary playwrights. New works.’ This play encompasses all of that. Donna Hoke has crafted a piece which is simultaneously realistic and surreal - we recognize these characters, this couple, from our own lives, as people we know, people we spend time with. Yasmine, with a caring heart and passion for life, and Cane, with an easygoing attitude and carefree outlook. We spend the play learning and understanding who these people are - separately and together - and are destroyed with them at the end. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

  • MARTIN JAGODZINSKI: THE WAY IT IS

    After about 10 pages into THE WAY IT IS, I realized I recognized Cane and Yasmine in several of the people I already know, and could see the brilliance of Donna Hoke's writing talent. Visceral and unapologetic, layered and true to the character, Donna is deserving of all the awards she's won. Excellent read!

    After about 10 pages into THE WAY IT IS, I realized I recognized Cane and Yasmine in several of the people I already know, and could see the brilliance of Donna Hoke's writing talent. Visceral and unapologetic, layered and true to the character, Donna is deserving of all the awards she's won. Excellent read!

  • Doug DeVita: THE WAY IT IS

    With typical Hokian aplomb and precision, THE WAY IT IS upends pre-conceived notions of sexual assault and gender conformity; what’s shocking is how vicious Hoke gets, and how quickly; this tight, tense little piece packs a lot into its 55 pages, leaving one breathless and more than a bit unsettled.

    With typical Hokian aplomb and precision, THE WAY IT IS upends pre-conceived notions of sexual assault and gender conformity; what’s shocking is how vicious Hoke gets, and how quickly; this tight, tense little piece packs a lot into its 55 pages, leaving one breathless and more than a bit unsettled.

View all 11 recommendations

Character Information

  • Yasmine
    Character Age
    early to late thirties
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Cane
    Character Age
    early to late thirties
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Commission, Organization Interesting experiment with this play: http://howlround.com/i-wrote-a-play-with-a-male-rape-but-readers-didn-t-want-to-call-it-that, Year 2016

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization Cotuit Center for the Arts, Year 2023
  • Type Fringe, Organization Eva's Echo, Galway, Ireland, Year 2018
  • Type Professional, Organization 5th Wall Productions , Year 2016
  • Type Professional, Organization Duckface, London, Year 2016

Awards

  • IATI Theatre Contest
    IATI Theatre
    Finalist
    2015
  • The Road Summer Theater Festival
    Semi-Finalist
    2016
  • Trustus Playwrights Competition
    Trustus Theatre
    Semi-Finalist
    2016