←Recommendations of A Conversation About Mom

What we say is so often far less than what we want or should say. Busser explores that chasm expertly in a short play that draws out the feelings of loss, grief, remorse and missed opportunity.

More than just a mere conversation between father and son! Great dialogue, for sure (this IS a John Busser play, after all), but the narrative takes an unexpected turn near story’s end, which adds a whole new layer of drama to the goings-on. I really loved listening to this on the THEATRICAL SHENANIGANS podcast!

As I was reading this, I was constantly surprised, which is the hallmark of excellent craft in writing. Playwright John Busser has written a no-holds-barred light flare of a play with a superb twist at the end. Devastatingly honest, this short play packs a lifetime into ten pages. I can see audiences responding to this with recognition and empathy. Read and produce this!

I just listened to this play wonderfully produced by the Theatrical Shinannigans podcast, for it is bought to life perfectly.
Many of Bussers works are hilarious, so this play took me by surprise, but not as much as the twist within. Father/Son relationships can sometimes be taught, especially when family life is strained or broken. The playwright tackles this sensitivity, with enough grit and passion entwined.
An excellent two hander which will get audiences discussing for some time after.

It takes some people a long time to come to their senses and reconnect with the people they have lost. This short play leads you in one direction and then promptly does a turn about. The pain between father and son is palpable. The hope is they will find peace and a renewed life. Very moving piece.

We all have those moments where we think, "If I had only moved to that city," or "If I had stayed with one person vs. another" and sometimes the path can lead you back around to the moment where you can claim that person or move to the city you had thought about. This play will rip you two with it's intense emotions and you'll be rooting for those second chances that don't always come to us, but when they do, you hope that you'll be lucky enough to see them in a clear light.

John Busser presents a difficult conversation between a father and son in this compelling character study. The dialogue is biting and emotional. And the ending will completely alter your perspective. Simple to stage, leaving the focus squarely on the characters where it belongs. There should be more productions in its future!

In life, unlike theatre, we rarely get those arguments where we poke each other's insecurities in just the right ways to facilitate character growth, where we find a narrative arc that might satisfy anyone at all. When we consume art, in some way, we know this. This is artifice. In this lovely play with a twist I genuinely was surprised by, John Busser points that out. Plays are practice of the imagination. We use them, often unaware. He whispers, with a gentle poke, "Practice is grand, but find your courage. The play is ending, and so soon will life."

You know there is going to be a moment where the rug gets pulled out from under you in this narrative. You are bracing yourself for it, you think you know when and what it will be and boom! You get an anvil on the head instead. A lovely and sad surprise. But a conversation a lot of people need to have before it is too late. a really powerful two-hander.

John Busser attacks this 10 minute play with a rawness that has you uncomfortable from the outset. While you might know something is missing, John distracts you with quick hard-hitting dialogue. If you don't squirm, tense up, or otherwise involuntarily react to the back-and-forth between father and son, you might not be human. This show does that and more and then... hits you with an incredible twist that you anticipate from the beginning, but forget about it as emotions and tensions continuously shift throughout the short play. Brilliant play John Busser!