←Recommendations of SLOW OUR SHIP - an 8-minute period drama for two actors

What a sad, yet lovely play, full of Irish wit, passion and compassion. Arianna Rose writes characters with so much clarity; we feel as if we know them. Even the lamppost has a say in the matter. This is a brief, yet heartbreaking look at a young couple so much in love, yet the one thing that they disagree on, the call of the sea, is the one thing that will bring their tale to a sad ending. Great writing and atmosphere make this play a must read.

What is it about men and the sea? This lovely two-hander invites us into the lives of Sean and Siobhan, their courtship, their lives together, the sea, and finally their ending as they know it. Lyrical, poetic, romantic, and very sad.

Slow Our Ship is an excellent example of Arianna Rose's gift for portraying rich relationship as we follow Sean and Siobhan on their journey as a couple. Perhaps more remarkably, Rose leads us through several time jumps to propel the relationship forward with finesse giving us the space to experience love and loss with this couple.

We are immediately enchanted by Sean and Siobhan as Rose has written them, hence invested. As she learns of his plans, we know that the sea will separate them. But for how long?

The lure of the sea is powerful and heartbreakingly at the center of this beautiful love story. A simple setting of a bench and lamppost along with Arianna Rose’s spare yet elegant dialogue combine for 8 minutes you won’t soon forget.

We see a life together form and then be torn apart. It's a delight to watch their flirtation and courtship and deeply moving to watch Siobhan's grief and fury at her loss. The direct addresses to the audience set a tone and clarify transitions and the dialogue is charming and then raw, but every beat rings true. This short play packs a powerful emotional punch.