A play about the illusion of choice that uses Hemingway's story as a jumping off point that leads to a piece of writing that is both elegant and violent in the truth it confronts. Whenever you begin to believe that you understand the message of Leah Roth Barsanti's play, something shifts--time, memory, or loyalty. Some plays try to put everything into words and some plays let the silence do the talking. "Elephant" says so much while still leaving enough room for us to dream up another ending.

ELEPHANT is such a beautifully written, moving story about the complexity of our pursuit of happiness. The play so accurately captures the struggles we humans (but especially women) go through trying 1. to figure out what we want in life, then 2. regretting whatever decision we have made, and 3. ultimately romanticizing the path not chosen, only to torment ourselves with the "what might have beens".

Leah's feminist adaptation of Hemingway's short story is a play I keep going back to, to read, think about and be inspired by. A beautifully written and structured play, I found myself writing lines down when reading it, the dialogue is beautiful, and even the stage directions and transitions keep the reader in this poetic and ethereal world. With a complex and controversial plot, Leah does a fantastic job of exploring the different options Jig has, while never romanticizing either. A wonderful play that I can't wait to see produced!