←Recommendations of Which Way to the Beach

An absolutely wonderful play that touches on so many topics in such a short time - sexuality, family dynamics, societal expectations and the stigma of working class jobs. A classic identity mix-up, that I didn't see coming, with a lot of heart. With so many serious topics it could have been a very heavy play, but the lightness of it in no way diminishes the points made. Excellent.

A neat little short for five actors which lures us in as a play about acceptance of gay relationships, then twists into a theme of job snobbery and the service industry vs professionals. Carefully paced, this’ll give food for thought and draw lots of rueful smiles from an audience by the time of its feelgood finale.

Philip Middleton Williams manages to say a lot about family relationships while providing a great comic story around mistaken identity. George and Marjorie end up providing perhaps a little TMI as they are supposed to meet the man who is marrying their son. But it’s their candor that provides the heart and soul of this piece as well as the humor. Good fun and a good message.

A brilliantly set-up comedy of mistaken Identity. George and Marjorie spill the family tea thinking they are talking to their son's fiancé. The poor recipient of their oversharing can't get a word in edgewise to stop them. As in all good comedies of misunderstanding, everything gets sorted out and most characters achieve their goals. Great fun with a bit of social awareness layered in.

Philip Middleton Williams' WHICH WAY TO THE BEACH is a short yet insightful exploration of the fear parents has trying to protect their children (even grown-up ones) in a world of homophobia. Williams masterfully writes out the parents with complexity that has the audience wondering how much of their fear is genuine and how much does it stem from their own internalized homophobia. I loved it!

Very enjoyable piece! Nicely drawn characters, snappy back and forth between all involved, and some good statements made in terms of societal mores and familial expectations. Then come the very funny twists at the end that really hit well in terms of how the situation was set up and then subverted right in front of our eyes. A piece of theater that should make a very good impression on those who view it.

A great blending of drama and comic farce, Which Way to the Beach is a terrific play about family dynamics and mistaken identity. Philip Middleton Williams has assembled a nicely diverse cast of characters, some of whom are refreshingly against type (the cop who so loves his son, he treats potential suitors as suspects to be interrogated, to make sure they are good enough). As the confusion about who's really who builds, the play ramps up in hilarious fashion. But it also says something about acceptance and being realistic about it as well. Great stuff!

Phillip gives us a humorous and believable look into real life. The parents were honest and real, though lost. I say lost because of the notion of “what would the world think” attitudes. I say real, because I’ve heard this conversation in my own family, unfortunately, the conversation didn’t change anything. But, here, in What Way to the Beach, I believe there is a small inkling of change.

Philip Middelton Williams messes with your expectations perfectly in this laugh-out-loud funny play about mistaken identity. George and Marjorie are endearing as the fish-out-of-water Midwestern couple in South Beach, and the surprising reveal at the play's climax is a fantastic twist. This would be a hoot to stage.

This is a fun comedy of mounting errors and mistaken identities, peppered with sly bon mots and withering quips that barely hide the deeper issue bubbling underneath its witty surface: unconditional love and acceptance from the parental units. One hopes Marjorie, at least, will find her way to the beach.