←Recommendations of She's Not There

This play not only shows the depths of depression and how people struggle with it, but the impact it has on those around them. It also shows how there isn't an easy answer, either. Rob wants to emphasize with Anna's condition, and clearly loves her, but reality (and depression, brilliantly portrayed by The Form) has other plans. This is a play that leaves you with questions rather than answers, which all great theatre should do.

Wow. This sharp, compelling play draws you in with its funny, edgy meet cute with irony, but takes a meaningful turn when the writer shows the underbelly of her intentions. Its darkness is revealed with complexity and nuance - while its shining writing keeps you engaged. The dialogue sparkles, the characters pop off the page, and the story follows their tragic yet surprising yet inevitable arcs. It uses a physicalized and theatrical metaphor to depict the struggle of mental illness. Audiences will, no doubt, be entertained, surprised, moved, and have a lot to talk about!

A riveting portrayal of depression, “She’s Not There” is thoughtful and broadly meaningful, while also uncompromising in it’s exploration of one specific tragedy. We as the audience are left - along with the character of Rob, in a stunning ending - with an imprint of a life struggling to transcend circumstance (and potentially succeeding - the ending is beautifully complex and can lead to a variety of theories that will no doubt be discussed on the drive home). In addition, the play features some fine and lovely dialogue. A gripping, thought-provoking work.

Ali MacLean’s play is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of the tragic effects of mental illness. And while not usually considered a comedic topic, Ms. MacLean gives us laughter through much of the first act.
Her characters are vivid and real. They pop with life while facing the abyss. They say things most people aren’t comfortable saying. And that is refreshing. She is a powerful playwright.

“Let me have this.” - Anna, She’s Not There.
This script gutted me in all the right ways. Depression is delicate. To some, still taboo to acknowledge. This play lets depression rear its ugly head. And that is why this piece is so lovely. Maclean’s page manifestation of The Form captures what living with this disease can be like. Anna’s struggle is believable. To see this fully stage would be much needed cathartic theatre.

There are profound questions that playwright Ali MacLean asks of us in SHE'S NOT THERE. Questions that will have people furiously debating long after experiencing this work. And that's exactly what a play like this should do to the audience. It should leave you in stunned disbelief and taking positions. It should make you question who you are, what you can endure, and for whom you can endure on. It's a difficult play, but it has a truth. The question is what is that truth in the hour of crisis when that figure visits your loved ones...or even you.

This play presents one of the most compelling theatrical representations of depression that I've had the privilege to read. Anna is an extremely well drawn and realistic character whose personified mental illness offers great insights into the mechanisms haunting and informing her relationships and sabotaging her road to recovery. Funny, heartbreaking, and poignant, "She's Not There" would make for an amazing evening of theater!

What a moving play. Within the first few pages, you are drawn into the lives of these clever, complicated people. The dialogue is sparkling and powerful and funny and devastating. MacLean has succeeded in conveying clinical depression in a startling theatrical way -- you really need to read it to understand how -- and it allows the reader to have a level of compassion for the character in a totally unique way. I can't imagine anyone not being moved by this play, whether or not they know anyone suffering from clinical depression or not. Highly recommend.

A play that uses love and dark comedy to dig deep into depression and how it affects relationships. The dialogue just zips along, and the lead characters, Anna and Rob seem perfect for each other, offering each other the hope of happiness. But Anna can’t hold back the depression that constantly haunts her, and Rob can’t bear to not be able to solve everything for her. A contemporary romance that takes on a serious issue with a lot of heart.

We are pleased to support this play! It was a Finalist for the 2019 New Works Festival at Kitchen Dog Theater in Dallas, Texas.