←Recommendations of [the inner universe]

A beautiful, poignant, and heartbreaking exploration of grief, mental illness, and when the two are so inextricably intertwined. Heyman's use of language and literary theory to show how Jackson sees and navigates the world around him is masterfully done, especially in scenes exploring the relationship between him and his equally academic mother. Through disembodied voices, creatively thought out worlds, and brilliantly written characters, Heyman takes us through the highs and lows of finding who you are in the face of extreme circumstances.

I had the pleasure of attending a reading of this beautifully heartbreaking play. Jackson’s journey to find their truth is fraught with pitfalls and pain. Sam Heyman makes us care and fear for Jackson and hold our breathe until the satisfying ending.

A gripping story about the weight of grief, talent, and mental health on a young man’s journey to find connection in a world that seems
Impossible to connect with. Sam Heyman has delivered a wonderful play that twists your gut into a tight ball as you cannot help but worry for the safety of the protagonist. A fantastic examination of the human condition in turmoil.

I had the distinct pleasure to take part in a reading of this emotionally resonant play by Sam Heyman. This play deals with Jackson, a uniquely compelling character dealing with a search for answers after a childhood trauma. But it's not only Jackson's journey we take. His parents, both with their own fascinating stories to tell, A university teacher with an unexpected connection and a newly found friend both complicate and enrich the story. All in all, a very strong piece that needs to be shared with bigger audiences.

A beautiful and powerful play that explores grief, trauma, and the search for answers through a theatrical and profoundly intelligent lens and with great compassion and skill. I was fortunate to hear a recent reading and it was gripping and deeply moving. The lovely and hopeful ending is wonderful too.

A touching, heartfelt and lyrical work in the vein of Paul Zindel's "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-In-The-Moon-Marigolds", made all the more effective with beautifully rendered characters and eloquent dialogue. The play was an absolute joy to read.

When joy and meaning in life is found in finding connections between abstract ideas, ideas as vast as the space between the stars, what happens to us when our most important connection is broken? How do books and academia prepare us for the destructive power of a mind desperate to find meaning, make sense of the world? Find love and warmth in the cold depths of our own inner universe? A moving piece of theatre.

What a powerful piece about intellect, family, mental health, and reality. Academia is the literal and symbolic world we find ourselves, as Jackson and his inner voices take us on a journey of true self discovery. Heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful.

Pulled in tight with the gravity of an entire solar system, [the inner universe] is a wondrous feat of family drama meeting academia meeting magic in the most cerebral sense. Each of Heyman's characters orbits not only the sun of possibility but a black hole of fear and doubt that shapes this world. Jackson's 'hero's journey' is one that'll strike a tremendous chord with anyone who survives their own - and knows there's more beyond the "point of no return". And capped off with stunning stage visuals, I'm looking forward to the future of this work.

A genuinely moving piece that pulls you along while subverting expectations. I was hooked by the opening family dynamic played out in those haunting voices and stars in the sky.