←Recommendations of Double Helix

Religion, science, capitalism, sexuality - are these all just different names humans have given to the effort to understand existence? And are we actually trying to understand existence, or conquer it? Vince Gatton has created a breathtaking science-fiction allegory in DOUBLE HELIX to explore precisely these questions - a SATANIC VERSES for the 21st Century, interrogating particularly American varieties of fundamentalism. A magnificent head trip.

This play starts off on such a sci-fi trajectory, but it miraculously (no pun intended) becomes incredibly spiritual as well. And I think this is exactly where we as humans fail to see eye to eye. Science and spirituality absolutely can and do come together in the same plane of existence. I love the connections and mysteries of this piece. There are so many wonderful ideals being depicted in this story with some very engaging characters.

Gatton’s extraordinary work asks more questions than it answers, but those questions are deeply probing and important; there may be no answers, but that’s not the point here. “Double Helix” is theater for those who want to be provoked, challenged, and yes, entertained into questioning, well… everything. A superb work from a superb playwright.

This play is a deeply thoughtful piece of art that brings in more concepts and ideas than any 90-minute work should be able to encompass, but Gatton's approach is so masterful that everything is seamlessly integrated and woven. It also moves at a brisk pace. The dialogue is sharp and the characters consistently engaging. And I love a work that brings up big mysteries but is able to respect the rich philosophies behind the underlying ideas and leave key threads unresolved. It's a brave move that forces the reader to really think about the piece. Astonishing, I'm still reeling!

The amazing structure of DOUBLE HELIX by Vince Gatton is as innovative and poetic as the dialogue. Vince has an incredible skill with storytelling and in this play it delights and surprises from start to finish. I also deeply resonated with the themes of science and faith, navigated by two siblings who share a bond even they cannot fully fathom. This play leaps from the page in a multidimensional way as you read and I can't wait to watch it transform even more on stage.

Spectacular! This story just pulls you in from the start, and the concept is so fascinating you can't help but want to know how things will turn out for twins raised essentially as an experiment. Once they are released to pursue higher education, their lives take decidedly different paths. The conflict is presented intelligently but is still capable of raising your blood pressure. A terrific ensemble piece and a director's dream!

This play is a structural marvel, seamlessly moving back in forth through time but never losing the engaging, baffling, brilliant plot! Theatrically, it's like an irresistible dare for adventurous directors and designers, who will be clamoring to solve the compelling theatrical problems presented here! Plot-wise, a gorgeous, esoteric exploration of the ways that both capitalism and belief (or any extreme, polarizing view) can fundamentally alter the nature of even the deepest relationships, and what it takes to maintain a connection in spite of it all. The characters are clear, specific, and uniquely flawed, and the creativity throughout is boundless.

Whether you're drawn in by the lasers and killer robots, or the mind-boggling hypotheticals, good science fiction always has, at its core, a very human story. Vince Gatton's Double Helix tells a very touching tale of two estranged siblings desperately yearning to reconnect, but unwilling to surrender their own personal truths to do so. In this increasingly polarized world, there is something eerily relatable to having a former confidante turn into something alien and unrecognizable, all the while insisting they're the same person they've always been. I'm interested to see where Mr. Gatton takes this work in progress.

Vince Gatton is a force! DOUBLE HELIX is epic, visionary, atmospheric and wholly original. A scifi thriller full to the brim with tension and emotion. While this is a work in progress, there is no denying there's a masterpiece buried just beneath the surface. A must read and, ultimately, a must produce.

A uniquely American story (despite the accents, & boy what fun when that needle drops). I've long been in awe of Gatton's ability to create religious characters that feel real, earnest, and not caricatures, and he's yet again knocked it out of the park. Must science and religion disprove one another? How does the money fit in? How do you survive a plane crash? At the center of a story filled w/cosmic questions is the beautifully realized and moving relationship between Denys and Bronwen. Maybe it all starts there. Internally. In the DNA. Can't wait to see how this grows.