←Recommendations of A Crack in the Past

What starts as a quick-witted comedic sci-fi farce about the perils of time travel (and billionaires), by its close, has transformed into bittersweet tale of love and affection between a husband and wife forced to make a choice that will change their lives forever. In the hands of another writer, this sort of transition like this might be too much to ask of an audience, but Paul Braverman pulls it off brilliantly. This really is a fantastic one act. Bravo.

This play is a journey through time with a harmonious blend of humor, humanity, and hope. Braverman's characters are wonderfully relatable, even when thrust into the most outlandish circumstances. This play doesn’t just entertain—it leaves you reflecting on the power of love and the ripples our lives can create across time.

If you're like me, then fantasies about rewinding the timeline back to a point where the world wasn't completely and totally boned take up a substantial portion of your mental energies. Paul Braverman seems to be offering up a madcap farce about such fantasies, with a late-middle-aged couple getting a second chance (thanks to space aliens, natch) to conceive the savior of humanity they should have conceived forty years ago - until it all takes a heartbreaking twist, and asks just how much we're willing to sacrifice in order to live by our values. A wonderful, heartfelt head trip.

What starts out as a set-up for a sci-fi sitcom turns into a touching and insightful examination of life, loss, and what-might-have-been. Paul Braverman's skill at giving us characters who bring us into their lives is at his best in this short piece that nevertheless takes us through all of the moments and motions of a full-length play. I saw it in a staged reading at 2024 Valdez Theatre Conference, and can only marvel at how intimate and powerful it will be in a full production.