←Recommendations of House of Joy (NEW VERSION - 2022)

I just got home from seeing this ambitious play at the St. Louis Rep. I'm excited to see how this play continues to grow and develop.

I went into this play not knowing what to expect and I was totally enthralled the whole time. So much fun and so thought-provoking.

I meant to only skim this play but I ended up staying up late finishing it. This thriller keeps you engaged until the very end. The language is fresh and captures the vivid environment the characters exist within. Hits all the right beats of tension, tenderness, and pure excitement. The story remains bright, lively, and fast-paced throughout, with characters you can root for. It gave me a craving for more stories like this one; which is something I didn't know we needed but that I'm now certain is essential.

An adventure that has you jumping behind some fierce women! Well done.

This was an incredibly rich and rewarding epic. I always start a play *hoping* it will come to life on the page, and House of Joy delivers from the first moment. The intersection of romance, action, complicated friendship, and adventure is gorgeously spiced by the complex inner world of the Harem. Thank you for posting!

This is an epic adventure story with strong women at the core that is ripe with rich theatrical possibilities. Anyone who has read it here raves about it.

Completely kick ass piece of action and adventure, with woman leads, a gripping story, and a great delve into a historical period I didn't know much about. This play not only centers the female narrative, it does it while being wildly entertaining.

This play is so much fun! And funny and touching and exciting! Read it.

Madhuri Shekar has a gift for world building. Her words transformed eight actors into a 1600s harem. Shekar created a village filled with duty, betrayal, and romance. At the end of the play, I was left with one resonating thought about this harem: it's badass. And before House of Joy, I had no idea a harem could make me feel that way. I was fortunate enough to see a reading of House of Joy in Seattle last night and I cannot wait to see this play fully realized -- fight sequences and all.