←Recommendations of HELPER

A clever, poignant, funny, frenetic monologue using a person's best friend (a dog) to show us that we are not alone. Brilliantly written, Carnes gives us hope, even when we are going through a time of crisis. This would make for a tour de force performance for some lucky actor.

A truly poignant monologue by Rachael Carnes. Bailey is ready to provide emotional support in his master’s darkest moment and remind his human of all the goodness the world has to offer. Sometimes, just having another heartbeat in the house can mean all the difference in the world.

It's always interesting to imagine how our pet / best friend would / could communicate with us. We've encountered dark days and having dear one to help you through it is priceless. Rachael has captured that moment and bottled it up to break open "In Case of an Emergency". Very well done monologue!

What a beautiful monologue about woman's best friend. It will give you pause and make you so thankful for your own pet but also for the unconditional love they give to us all without any expectations except after you read this, you will never look at your pet the same way.

04.10.25 - Oh this one got to me. As someone who constantly talks to my dog (and listens when she talks back. And she DOES TALK BACK TO ME, I have no doubt) Rachael got me worried about BOTH characters. I actually welled up when Bailey's friend came into the room with the bottle. Her characterization of Bailey's unconditional love for his friend is so evident on the page. These became real beings to me. I can't praise it higher than that.

Oh my god! This piece wrenches at your heart in different ways as it progresses. As someone who's looked after many dogs, I think Bailey is a wonderful portrayal of a human's best friend as they express their wonder and curiosity about their day and the person they look after but it doesn't just stop there. Without giving away too much of how the story unfolds, Rachael has created a wonderfully believable character that will probably have you looking at your dog a different way! She's then taken that character and wrapped it in a rollercoaster emotional journey. Fabulous!

This play gave me whiplash with how quickly it turned from adorable to heartbreaking. Carnes has such a strong command over her language and somehow manages to create a character that is undeniably human despite being a dog. This play doesn't read as corny, like some plays that include humans playing animals. It feels incredibly real. Bailey doesn't shy away from humanlike interactions with their person, and that is what makes this play shine. Carnes understands Bailey's humanlike empathy, and combining that with their pure heart creates a character that is heartwarming, lovable, and so very real.

A beautifully done piece that shows the enormous impact pets have on our lives. They do everything they can to emotionally support us, but in the end we have to do it for ourselves. A message in the necessity of self care for us and those we love. A great statement on mental health and connection to loved ones. Well done.

Extremely clever piece showing the impact of depression/mental health issues from a completely new perspective. Entertaining, humorous, but poignant.

Pets are our confidantes, our nursemaids, our loyal friends. HELPER expresses the inner thoughts of a kindhearted dog who is concerned about their human. This monologue will touch the hearts of pet owners and encourage people to reach out to their loved ones. HELPER reminds us that extending a hand - or a paw - can save someone's life.