←Recommendations of Happy Together

A fascinating tapestry of a play, weaving the complex emotional connections - and spaces between - the three characters: husband, wife, and her lover, all three played by two actors in various moments. The language is heady, evocative, and emotionally resonant, the subtext beautifully crafted. This play would be an award-worthy showpiece for two powerful actors.

06.26.25 - It may take two to tango, but in Franky Gonzalez's complex relationship dance, the steps require a third person. This play about shifting roles in a marriage undergoing turbulent times is made all the more shaky due to a third party, who himself plays multiple roles in this drama. Gonzalaz's characters are fascinating, and even more multifaceted depending on who they currently deal with. Happiness is always sought for but elusive, twisting in and out of the characters grips. Riveting.

[2025-06-17]

There is a lyrical beauty to this heart-rending tragedy of a play. Franky Gonzalez's tale of an affair that unravels a "happy" marriage makes the most of the absolute least: minimal staging, no scene changes and, most impressively, 2 actors playing the 3 people in a love triangle. Gonzalez examines what it means to be happy with someone, and what happens when a partner no longer can give what they pledged. In this spare story audiences, actors and designers have lots to explore.

This Pinter-esque memory play / erotic thriller is filled with dialogue that is often lyrical and sparse, but contains an entire world of subtext. The effect of this is that the play has a musical quality that complements the play's eeriness. This also leaves a lot of negative space for actors and directors to explore the interior and exterior lives of the characters.

This play held me from the first word to the last beat. Two actors playing multiple roles, ethereal and heartfelt sentiment and harsh realities, balanced so well. The shifting sands beneath these characters and these emotions are essential to the understanding of this play, and I was riveted the whole time. Franky D. Gonzalez is an amazing playwright and this early effort on his part set the course for what was to come.

A play that leaves you stunned thanks to its implications and its bold artistic ambitions. Having three characters played by two actors is already an astonishing theatrical device that could easily feel like overreach, but in Gonzalez's capable hands it is nothing short of revelatory. Identities and sexuality shift in a hazy desert landscape of lust, desire, and manipulation. If important plays make us think and transcendent plays make us feel, then this play is all of that. Incredibly work.

Such an exciting, daring, masterful experiment with form! I'll be thinking about the mechanics of this play for a long time as a masterclass in form experimentation!

A passionate and engaging tale as a ménage à trois immerses and intimacy is explored. Well done.

I watched a reading of this play last night as part of Imprint Theatreworks' First Impressions Festival! This was such a beautifully tragic piece that begs to be performed on stage in full. There is poetry in the language and it feels like such a fun challenge to be able to craft a second character with another actor so you both can portray that character accurately... Cannot overstate how much I enjoyed this piece!

I was lucky enough to watch this live as part of Imprint Theatreworks' First Impressions Festival last night. Franky Gonzalez has created a work that is experimental... but not as a gimmick; as a truly character-driven, thematically grounded choice. Two actors play WOMAN and MAN, and they both share the part of the CUCKOLD. I've never seen anything like this before and I was a little nervous I would have trouble following it, but I shouldn't have worried-- all three of the characters are fully formed and easily identified in each scene. I also love the poetic dialogue!! Bravo!