←Recommendations of AN ESTUARY

Just terrific. The tidal flow of the scenes, merging and colliding with each other, is entirely appropriate for a piece largely set in a kind of liminal space. I love the genuine surprise of the story's revelations, but just as much I appreciate that they don't feel outsized -- instead they feel beautifully knit into the play's fabric. I would love to see this play produced.

This is a delicate and urgent story that unfolds at such expert pacing in AN ESTUARY by Nick Malakhow. The structure of this play is very dynamic as secrets are revealed and hard truths are explored without flinching away from the raw emotions underneath. I was especially taken with the character of Lia and how she's depicted with such complexity, especially as she's making discoveries at the same time as the audience. The dialogue is also incredibly beautiful and sharp at the same time, making this a piece that both moves and entertains.

There are so many surprises in this lovely play! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, it went somewhere totally different. What a beautiful, bittersweet story about family and identity and lost opportunities. I loved it!

What a lovely, lovely read. The characters are so clear, and the dialogue is so crisp. Worthy of many productions.

Really loved the way Malakhow weaves together a plot that leads you to believe you know where it's going, and then you don't! Intriguing, mysterious, funny, sad, and has a lot of heart.

I am continually impressed by the facility Malakhow has with creating characters of such sharpness and depth. The writer makes it look easy, and I absolutely admire the skill! In this play, we get a story that blends in multiple issues of identity, all explored in depth without ever reading as didactic or overly analytical. Instead, the play forces you to think, about who these people are and why they are, and about who we all are. Malakhow also handles the reveals by making them seem inevitable and organic rather than plot twists. Another fine work from this writer.

A very moving family story whose characters, plot points, and even formal devices are all more messy, complicated, and nuanced than they may at first appear. Young Isaac's pursuit of the mystery of his paternity, and his mother's ghostly magical-realist intervention/narration, are made fresh by the many surprises that lie in store for both of them. Underneath it all is a beautiful story about how love unexpressed stifles the very ability to express love, and how sticky a mother-son bond can be regardless.

(Also: THIS IS A FIRST DRAFT???? How dare Nick Malakhov. How dare he.)

Malakhow shames me as a playwright with this being their first draft, wow! The talent of navigating the complex genre of mystery is one to keep tabs on and surprised me several times. How Malakhow weaves these two stories together is almost dance like. I look forward to seeing where this draft goes in the future, but I believe it is absolutely ready for a staged reading if not a performance. Wonderful!

A raw and intimate look at a young man reeling after a profound loss, the discoveries he makes about his mother and the trail he follows... which leads him somewhere he didn't at all expect. I loved the playwright's ability to surprise us with sharp turns and dark comedy, even as he navigates such deeply emotional territory. Love even more that this is a first draft; can't wait to see where he goes next!

Malakhow spins a tale of ghosts and relations, for it is the ghosts of relations who haunt us the most. It's got tension and humor, an insightful view into generations of shame but also care, and a lot of open wounds begin to heal. Highly recommended!