let's talk about anything else

by Anthony Anello

A group of friends escape to the Berkshires for a week-long getaway almost a year after their friend Abby’s untimely passing. Despite their efforts to keep their pasts outside the walls of their secluded AirBnB cabin, their grief continues to haunt them until they have no choice but to confront it or die trying to avoid it. A play about bugs, strangers in the woods, and the unrelenting grasp of guilt.

A group of friends escape to the Berkshires for a week-long getaway almost a year after their friend Abby’s untimely passing. Despite their efforts to keep their pasts outside the walls of their secluded AirBnB cabin, their grief continues to haunt them until they have no choice but to confront it or die trying to avoid it. A play about bugs, strangers in the woods, and the unrelenting grasp of guilt.

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let's talk about anything else

Recommended by

  • Karen Jean Martinson: let's talk about anything else

    This play is incredibly fast-moving, with dialogue that both flows naturally and calls attention to a giant hole at the core, as they avoid discussing their shared trauma. The way we come to know the characters and their histories is skillful; the audience is asked to piece together the past around this black hole. Layered in is the creepiness of a very particular, invasive form of male privilege and power. The ending makes clear how difficult it is to know another's life, and another's pain.

    This play is incredibly fast-moving, with dialogue that both flows naturally and calls attention to a giant hole at the core, as they avoid discussing their shared trauma. The way we come to know the characters and their histories is skillful; the audience is asked to piece together the past around this black hole. Layered in is the creepiness of a very particular, invasive form of male privilege and power. The ending makes clear how difficult it is to know another's life, and another's pain.

  • Blyss Cleveland: let's talk about anything else

    This is one of the best plays I've read recently. It's a propulsive and dark exploration of clinging to friendships past their prime and how unresolved grief and trauma can lead to breakdowns in relationships. The dialogue is sharp, and the ending is thought-provoking because it prompts you to return to the beginning. I would love to see a full production of this play!

    This is one of the best plays I've read recently. It's a propulsive and dark exploration of clinging to friendships past their prime and how unresolved grief and trauma can lead to breakdowns in relationships. The dialogue is sharp, and the ending is thought-provoking because it prompts you to return to the beginning. I would love to see a full production of this play!

  • Giulianna Marchese: let's talk about anything else

    This is a fast moving, electric play with multiple shoes that drop by the end. It mingles comedy and horror in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even with a cast of 7, every character is so well developed. Anthony expertly scaffolds this play to a tragic and shocking ending.

    This is a fast moving, electric play with multiple shoes that drop by the end. It mingles comedy and horror in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even with a cast of 7, every character is so well developed. Anthony expertly scaffolds this play to a tragic and shocking ending.

View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

  • Rosalie
    anxious
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Charley
    avoidant
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Enda
    validation-seeking
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Femlae
  • Meg
    morally-superior
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Beck
    obsessive
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Pine
    knowable
    Character Age
    30s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Wes
    unknowable
    Character Age
    20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any Race
    Character Gender Identity
    Male

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Murmuration Theatre Company, Year 2024
  • Type Reading, Organization Loading Dock Theatre's Forklift, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization The Tank, Year 2022

Awards

  • Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival
    Finalist
    2023