←Recommendations of The Uninvited

Depression. An insidious and formidable enemy that sneers at our defenses, creeping stealthily past them before we become aware of the imminent threat. This is a powerful and poetic monologue by someone who has recognized the attack and is determined to fight back. It will be especially meaningful to anyone who has experienced it or had to cope with a love one's going through it. And it provides a wonderful opportunity for an actor able to harness and embody its emotional depths.

An unwelcome guest indeed. One that shows up, never pays for the room it invades, yet somehow makes YOU pay for it being there. Chris Plumridge hits a very relatable nerve that we all work so hard NOT to relate to. I hope anyone reading, hearing, watching and/or performing this monologue understands how monstrous this “guest” really is. I love Chris’s writing here even if the reason for this writing is a hard one to endure.

An audience will find this intriguing, asking questions to figure out the state of mind and health of this speaker and their strange connection thr the Univited. A captivating play for a festival on mental issues or even a disturbing one for a Halloween showcase. A great opportunity for an actor to fully embody a charaxter and play the stage.

What elegant vitriol!

If mental illness is a street fight, then depression is a cage match. And even though our protagonist is taken unawares by this latest onslaught, they are a fighter, a warrior! Their fists are calloused and they know every inch of this cage.

Plumridge also captures depression as contagion. It affects others, how they feel in addition to how we feel about them. It shows you the ugly in the beautiful and the hollow illusion of love. Doesn't matter if it's real. Doesn't matter if you know that.

At this point, the fight is everything!

This is an anthem, a fight call from the depths of a darkened well. There is a strength in the speaker's voice, even though it is clear they have been weakened...for now. This is hope. And wonderful to see what a little self-confidence in preparation for the down times can do. There is a light in this tunnel.

A whole host of questions develop in reading Christopher Plumridge’s monologue - who is ‘the uninvited’? Or what? As the piece lays out its effect, you see what the answer is. The power of the writing is made all the more potent when you realise the personal nature of the writing. It is laden with realism and soul searching. It is truthful and devastating. To anyone who has suffered from the same destructive condition it will resound with the pain it lays on its victim. Plumridge’s writing about the human condition has never been so effective.