←Recommendations of Mermaids

I loved the crisp imagery of this piece—not only does it make you feel like you’re really by an overcast shore, but it perfectly services the sparse, unsentimental language that nonetheless manages to be full of the love between these characters. This play makes you believe in impossible things, if only because you’d be left devastated if you didn’t. Masterfully done, Huang!

Just lovely! Huang creates such a grounded, tactile sense of place in this taut, yet lyrical piece. I love that I found myself really leaning into the dialogue, asking questions, immediately investing in this world and wanting to know more about it. Two finely-crafted characters at a moment in time both immediate and ethereal. I would so love to see this onstage!

A gorgeously melancholic piece. I can feel what's happening even though I'm sitting behind a computer screen in Southern Ohio. This is one of my new favorite ten-minutes.

I can hear the waves and breathe in the dead fish. I’m with Cecelia - sometimes you need the mermaids. Maybe we always need mermaids. But at least there’s the tide. A beautiful, understated play that leaves you hoping and wishing that Cecelia gets her mermaid.

When reality is too hard to deal with, we always had our fairy tales to help us cope. Jessica Huang takes this idea and creates a subtle romance that will leave you thinking for some time after "End of Play"

Huang does a beautiful job balancing beautiful mystery and harsh reality in this lovely piece. It's hopeful and lovely while still acknowledging the nastiness of life. A treasure.

Jessica Huang comes right to the heart of where fairy tales and dreams come from in MERMAIDS. She creates two vivid characters coping with something implied to be serious for Cecilia. Huang weaves an emotional tapestry that is so beautifully understated that you feel as if you've gotten the whole story from the setting's description after reading this play. It's a wonderful portrait and wonderful moment shared between a couple on one of life's many downs. You're not left without hope though, you're left with a melancholic smile and a longing for things to work out. A quiet, beautiful work.

The metaphorical comparisons work well here. The characters are nicely delineated and this flows like the sea that is portrayed. The effect is poetic.

Metaphorical. Mysterious. Melodic. Esoteric yet universal. Highly recommended for the curious.