←Recommendations of Space Laser, In Space!

"Space Laser, In Space!" is a lovely, layered, hilarious, thought-provoking short play. Jillian Blevins begins with a sci-fi premise that mocks anti-Semitic rhetoric, echoes "Dr. Strangelove; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb," examines cultural gatekeeping about what it means to be Jewish, and leaves an audience with an ending that feels remarkably like "The Lady or the Tiger?"

There is a lot packed into this short play, and it's wonderful. Audiences will discuss "Space Laser, In Space!" long after a performance ends.

Wow. I just went on a journey. I was immediately intrigued by the title, SPACE LASER, IN SPACE! Then, I started reading the play, and I was laughing out loud because it was funny and so deviously smart (to turn the idiotic anti-Semitic conspiracy theories on their heads). THEN, as I continued reading, I was absolutely hooked - feeling anxiety, sadness, and, to be honest, fear. Jillian Blevins does a fantastic job in crafting this play. I can't believe it was only 10-minutes long!

Jillian Blevins uses a current, bizarre anti-Semitic conspiracy theory to provide an insightful discussion of what it means to be a Jew and who gets to decide. And the truth that the two characters, and all of us, must face is that those who would do us harm have no interest in making distinctions. So how do we respond to an existential threat? That is the question at the heart of this thought provoking and timely work. This play deserves to be produced soon and often.

This play is almost absurdly prescient - and, luckily for readers and audiences, it's also incredibly smart. As a neohumanist jew, I love to see stories about "jews at the end of the world," and this well-drawn sci-fi universe (cleverly inspired by one of the world's most prevalent conspiracy theories) hits the spot. Two quick, witty characters face high stakes which only grow when the playwright turns their life-or-death conundrum back to the audience. It's fast-moving, deep, and consistently funny. Plus, I'm jealous of the lucky sound and lighting designers who get to work on this play!

In its 10 pages, SPACE LASER, IN SPACE! has it all. A sci-fi premise - Talia and David in a space ship, a debate about Jewish faith and assimilation, humorous commiseration about the neediness of mature moms, cool Yiddish words you may not have known before, and mounting tension about ethics and power. And it all fits perfectly. I really admire the depth and range that Jillian Blevins shows when she takes on a subject. This is a terrific, very timely short play that makes me want to hear much more from this exciting playwright.

Jillian Blevins takes the frustrating idiocy of modern antisemitism and creates, not a farce, but a thoughtful debate about Jewish identity and morality with a high-stakes, sci-fi backdrop. This isn't to say that the play's writing isn't funny, but it takes seriously the differing perspectives and experiences of Jewish people on a variety of topics, while also examining challenging ethical questions. "Space Laser, In Space!" is a remarkable piece of speculative fiction for the stage, highly recommended.