←Recommendations of A Dark Wood

A powerful look into a frightening world as these characters as they find themselves in places they didn't expect to make sense of it all. Well done.

A deeply upsetting, beautifully structured, and wonderfully rich play! The theatrical world that Coble creates here is so fully realized. I'm amazed at how deftly rendered this dystopian world is with just the words of a few well-chosen characters with no clunky exposition. Each part is a compelling theatrical unit on its own and, stitched together, they create a powerful parable about social upheaval, loyalty, government distrust, political discord, violence, authoritarianism, and anti-intellectualism. This would be a meaty play for actors to sink their teeth into, and designers/directors would no doubt love to create this moody, atmospheric reality.

WOW!!!!! One play. Three parts. Part one: 2 kids in the Moth trying to escape their country (our country?) I love these two kids. I was leaning in every moment. Part Two, Vivian, an old schoolteacher hiding out. The Termites are the intellectuals and they are persecuted by the Shadow Justice. The cops are in charge. This is a scary, dystopian, paranoid, violent and distrustful world and a warning to us. Part Three was totally surprising yet completely earned. An excellent story that can only be done on the stage. Political and personal, this play has it all.

It is the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's pleasure to recommend Eric Coble and their play A Dark Wood as a finalist for our 2018 National Playwrights Conference. The play rose through a competitive, anonymous, multileveled selection process that took nearly nine months to execute. As one of 53 finalists out of more than 1,4200 submissions, the strength of its writing has allowed this work to prosper in such a competitive selection process.

Coble's Dystopian dreamscape that navigates the terrain of human devolution within three distinct environments is a visceral experience that for me was fascinating, disturbing, eerily humorous, terrifying, achingly sad, and at times (thank goodness) humane. Rich characters, dialogue that rings with disturbing authenticity, and excellent structure that supports suspense and psychological depth. It is all too relevant to the times we are living in. Is there hope for humanity? As always, it is our actions that will tell.

"Chaos will structure itself. Structure will turn to chaos again." When A DARK WOOD begins, chaos is scrambling to find structure. Coble envisions a terrifying world which feels like it might be our own in the not so distant future. Cleverly constructed into three overlapping vignettes, the play calls to mind "Waiting for Godot," and "1984," along with an epic monologue at the end that might make Martin McDonagh smirk. The play balances horrific and unsettling circumstances with unexpected flashes of humor and wit. It is, regrettably, a play for our politically troubled times. A smart and scary work.