←Recommendations of Monsters of the American Cinema

Monsters of the American Cinema is sharp, affecting, and refreshingly unsentimental. Christian St. Croix delivers a nuanced character study wrapped in an exploration of grief, identity, and moral reckoning. The dialogue is crisp, unforced, and layered with tension, making every interaction between a gay black man and his white teenage step-son feel immediate and deeply human. The play’s use of classic horror as both theme and structural device is smartly executed, adding depth without gimmickry. A compelling, intelligent work that rewards close attention.

This play was so so captivating. I loved the time jumps between the videos and the present time. It added another element that I think would be really interesting to see in person. Aside from the cool theatrical elements, the relationship between the characters was so so great to watch blossom throughout the plot. It really pulled at your heartstrings and showed the quite intimate relationship between a father and son. There are too many good things to write about, but I highly recommend it!

This play is Brilliant. The continued use of movies and film throughout the play is so so interesting. The exploration into relationships and identity builds some important conversations and holds space for important stories in media. I loved the formatting of this play, the overlapping of the characters in the same space at different times is genius. Read this play over and over again!

Christian St. Croix's use of the two characters and one location to tell this story is genius. So much can be told from only hearing from these two, and tackles important issues throughout that are so easily understandable as I read. This play smartly combines elements of science fiction with realism, allowing the reader to feel immersed in the world. Pup and Remy's dialogue was written so clearly that I could hear every word in my head. This was such a beautiful yet devastating story.

This story is so wonderfully done. It addresses some extremely important issues and identities, as well as adding a tasteful sci-fi moment. This play had some beautiful conversations in it, and moments to cry as well as smile. I really enjoyed this play and I would totally recommend it to anyone. It was beautiful!

Christian St. Croix, you fucking genius! My lady parts were very warm reading this! What this play does well, is capture an aspect of fiction through a realistic lens which few plays can do well. I enjoyed the text of Remy's the most because as a Black person in America a lot of what he was saying was relatable especially as a queer person as well. However this play is not just for the Hes, Shes, Gays, and Theys. It is truly a story that will touch anyone's heart.

It's difficult to ignore a play which has had, in its short life, already so many productions. Christian has bought us a deep, sensitive and at times funny play, which cleverly mixes monologues and dialogue to find fresh ways for these well thought out characters to tell their stories and their relationship with each other.
I'd love to see this staged, if, I mean when, it comes to the UK, I'm sure to be there!

The monsters, real and metaphorical, are terrifying and haunting in this vividly theatrical coming of age play. Pup's journey is tortured and tortuous. The pain and the love he and Remy share are palpable. Both Pup and Remy are vividly drawn and compelling. I feel as though all my descriptions and attempts to capture my response to this play fall short of capturing how complex and riveting it really is.

I have a callback for Pup this weekend so I took this off my “to-read” list and couldn’t stop until it was over. Christian St. Croix is a master of storytelling. The duologues add great tension to the piece overall, and the characters are both amazing and both go on their own journeys. This play deals with a lot of trauma, but does so brilliantly and allows for audiences to get sucked into the world of this father-son duo. An absolute roller coaster and I can’t wait to see (or perform) this piece live. Bravo, just bravo!

Simply glorious! The mix of direct storytelling and dialogue makes the plot worth investing in. This play has many layers to unpack from racism, internalized (and outward) homophobia, and grief while incorporating throwback cinema. I would absolutely love to see this live.