←Recommendations of Janmadin

What a fun read. And yes, I want to see it live. Captures the awfulness of the workplace - hate birthday parties ✓ - don't know people you work with ✓ - excuses such as "well, we didn't lay people off." ✓ Love the changing landscape of the "problem." Favorite line of Divya after Nathan says the thought the guy spoke "Indian" she tells him "you bought this ticket, you ride it." as she explains there's no Indian language and she's from Albuquerque. BTW Janmadin means Birthday. Well done. Playwright Gatton. Want to read/see more.

Of all the directions I saw a surprise party going in, this was not one of them, which is what makes it such a brilliantly constructed piece. As the story unfolds and you as the audience discover piece of the tale you are desperate to know more! That, coupled with the balance of amusing and tragic moments makes this a piece that will leave an audience both filled with emotion and smiling in places. As a piece of theatre its a wonderfully delicate balancing act with very relevant themes in our current social climate, perfect for production!

What does corporate downsizing, tragic gun violence, poltergeists, and cupcakes have in common? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Unless you're Vince Gatton! This brilliant tale is quick, coincidental, tragic, heartwarming, awkward, hilarious, weird, and a little disturbing. But you put them all together and somehow it works! Absolutely loved it!

It has been too long since I've read a Vince Gatton play! His dialogue is some of the best you'll ever read. I love the formal civility of Nathan in the face of an absolutely bonkers situation. ("I do hope you'll say more" made me laugh audibly.) This one act flies by as you try, along with Nathan, to figure out what is going on. And the visual of him traveling back and forth through the office hallways with all those balloons and cupcakes juxtaposed with the unnerving situation is perfection. Produce this!

Vince Gatton takes us on a very intriguing ride from corporate restructuring to save jobs to birthday parties, to the supernatural world. At the same time exposing prejudices that build into the escalation strategy. There is so much to unpack here to as Vince raises the stakes gradually throughout the show. There are also four strong characters that give the story an authentic appeal. Well done.

Birthdays are a hard thing for a lot of people and there's always those "Just forget me on my day," and others that go all out with excitement. Deep down I think we a little pleased when we are remembered. It's become part of our upbringing and culture to have the one day that is all "ours." Gatton provides us just one such person and one such situation and it makes us remember how important it is to celebrate the little things and just let someone know you're thinking about them on their special day.

This quirky dark comedy begins with a low-stakes mystery that turns into a supernatural mystery and wraps with a bittersweet ending. Playwright Vince Gatton has his characters deliver their words in such a charming, matter-of-fact way, I’d feel comfortable with calling this a magical realism piece. There are many exclamation points beneath the quirk and the charm—including the importance of work morale and a much-needed primer on the diversity of India and its people—but the most heartbreaking for me was the tragic fate of an immigrant excited to start a new life. I loved this work.

I really don't know how to classify this play and that is one reason why I love it. It's funny, wholesome, mysterious, scary. Without spoiling too much, it's also a mournful horror with a happy ending. What?! It takes a deft hand to mix this many emotions together and make it feel cohesive, but Gatton's structure is immaculate, complete with one of the best left-turns in anything ever. A wild and thought-provoking ride on every level, this is a fantastic piece of writing that would thrill any audience.

A very funny capture of our relationship to work and the importance of the office birthday party. Well done!

Nobody likes surprise office birthday parties, right? But this one is special because the guest of honor is... well, he's been waiting a very long time for his party. Vince Gatton has given us a funny and realistic play that has all the elements of a good surprise party, including a surprise beyond expectations. The connections between the characters is so real and the outcome so plausible that you want to be there. And he had me at "cupcakes!"