In ten minutes, Jack Rushton’s “The Difference” fillets a marriage with a ruthless knife. In sharp and piercing dialog, the couple, Walter and Elise, expose every pretense of affection, concern, and intimacy between them. The emotional impact is all the more brilliant because Rushton never reveals the knife or the hand that wields it. “The Difference” is part of a series of plays about Walter and Elise, well worth a company’s time and exploration, either staged in an intimate space or on Zoom. Highly recommended.

As a married couple dress to go meet and impress the neighbors, a petty argument, with some really dark undertones, plays out. Funny, dark, ridiculous, and spot on, this play will make you cringe, as you witness a marriage disintegrating right before your eyes. If you want to learn how to master the art of riveting, economical dialogue, layered with subtext and nuances, read any and all of Jack Rushton’s plays.