←Recommendations of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR

Donna Hoke conducts this story like a maestro conducting a huge symphony. All the parts are virtuoso performances and keeping the action moving is a challenge well accepted. Another impressive effort!

Genuinely engrossing, and brilliantly walking a line between laugh out loud funny and thought provoking, this is a play i would love to see onstage. It would definitely be a conversation starter! The concept is original, and the physical setting of next door neighbours creates intensity. The dialogue is zippy and smart throughout, making the standout moments where an unanswered question hangs in the air really tense. The portrayal of two very different marriages is insightful, and intriguing. I kept being surprised right till the end.

This story was such a joy to follow. Kept me enthralled throughout. Very funny and sensual without being flooded with sex. It kept focus on the relationships; thats what matters. Would love to see this live; it lends itself well to a beautiful side-by-side set.

This play is very fair to all of the characters. It compares and contrasts different attitudes towards marriage and sex, without condemning any of them. And yet they all come away a little changed, as any good story should achieve. This is in addition to the expert craft the playwright shows in keeping the audience invested every step of the way, from the staging, to the dialogue, to the transitions. A very compelling play.

This sexy, funny, thrilling play insightfully probes human behavior surrounding monogamy and relationships. The dialogue is crisp, filled with wit and appropriately awkward. An actor's dream. Four very well-developed, messy, complex characters. Demonstrates that any relationship of true worth is hard, no matter the sexual approach, and doesn't let us off the hook with any easy answers. Really enjoyed it!

An interesting look at two marriages, and what happens when they mix and mingle. Who is more compatible: The couple that argues a lot, or the one that regularly swings together? The one where the wife plucks the husband's ear hair (one of my favorite scenes) or the one where the husband is suddenly drawn to the new neighbor? Hoke peppers a sexy situation with the intimacy of reality, and examines the intricacies of relationships. An underlying current of female strength runs through, as the husbands come to grips with all their fantasies really have to offer.

This is a very funny and very poignant look at two couples who reach for a little bit more than they have, with the risk/reward of getting what they really want or losing what they have grown accustomed to. An insightful and cautionary tale of getting what you wish for.

OMG, I want to see this play. Lots of conflict, laughs, and love. Wonderful twists and turns illustrating the complexity of the human animal and the messiness of relationships, especially sexual ones. The dialog and subtext consistently jump off the page. Lots of deliciously awkward moments for actors to sink their teeth into. It kept me entertained throughout.

A funny, smart suburban comedy which turns unexpectedly affecting as it explores the possible consequences of playing with fire.