←Recommendations of The Thought Doesn't Count

The things we don't talk about still make their presence felt. And when the pain of that presence becomes too great, we have to talk about them. As Hageman shows us, there may not be a perfect time for this, but getting it all out there allows love to propel us past the pain. A beautiful piece about a young couple allowing their love to get them through the tough times.

This ten-minute play could be an example for writers. It's taut, dropping us right into the mix, and developing two characters that we're attracted to, that we care about, right away, and sustaining their arc in a believable journey. There's a little world here, at once unique and universal, a space for coming together in grief and healing, with humor and with sorrow. Hageman's dialogue is easy and natural, her story tender and relatable. And the adorable Sock Monkey is a super bonus. This would be a delight to see onstage.

Easily the sweetest play I've ever read featuring a sock monkey! In just a few pages we learn so much about this couple-- who they are together and separately, and how they both process tragedy. Hageman has mastered the stitching of new wounds while offering delightful (painful?) pun battles and a window into a very hard and relateable moment for this couple. This piece is an emotional journey that will tear at your heart strings--make you put your hands on your hips and snap your fingers saying "oh-no-he-didn't"--and then turn around and tickle your sides. READ. PRODUCE. GO.

Quite possibly the most moving play about a sock monkey EVER. Hageman does a wonderful job of giving us a couple audiences will fall in love with. Tim and Rebecca support each other even while their hearts are breaking. Love that Tim listens to and respects Rebecca when she says she needs a moment to be pissed off at him. Full of her signature wit and charm, Hageman makes us laugh and cry, often in the exact same precise moment. Tender and emotional, certain to have audience members leave in the midst of their own thoughtful reflections and discussions.

Going back and forth between grief and lightness at a turn of a phrase. Emily Hageman encapsulates the strengths and strains of a marriage navigating one of life's most heartbreaking obstacles. In between sock monkeys, banana puns, and a heart-to-heart conversation that makes you want to let out every feeling and hold them all in at the same time, Hageman covers the spectrum of emotions that lead to a conclusion that is both human and something much more. You ache for these characters and you want to see it all work out. Hageman has given me faith it will.

Rebecca and Tim haven’t been married long, but they’re already navigating a massive bump in the road. Hageman’s use of the sock monkey (an appropriately eerie third character in this two-hander,) serves as a catalyst for explosive confrontation, yet provides the means for the two to work through it. The dialogue feels alternately playful and painful- and as a result, real. But there’s no doubt about it: Rebecca and Tim are gonna be just fine.
And that gives hope to the rest of us.

In this short play, Hageman takes us on a nutshell of a journey with a young(ish) couple as they finally explore their grief with the help of a sock monkey and some lovely, sparkling dialogue. It's beautiful to see a play that, while still dealing with tragedy and sadness, truly comes from a place of love. Hageman's dialogue is snappy and fun, giving a wry realism to her two characters. Highly recommended for any short play festival.