←Recommendations of Emily & the Mind of God

Nora Louise Syran seems to be channeling Emily Dickinson in this haunting, lyrical look at Dickinson’s mind as she teeters between God and earth. Dickinson’s astute musings belie her weakened physical condition. She has strength in her thoughts, belief in her abilities and an acute awareness of life - even as life threatens to leave her. Sometimes it seems as if Nora Louise Syran saw a glimpse of Emily Dickinson’s soul. And she shares it with us in this short play.

11/26/24: The poetry of one's mind, captured with exquisite elevated language by Nora Louise Syran, dazzles and mystifies in Emily & The Mind of God. Emily Dickinson has a distinctive voice, both on the page of this play and in her poems, and Syran emulates that voice effectively here, navigating the final moments of Dickinson's life. Poignant and powerful, this play would be a gift to an actress moved by the cadence of its verse.

10.26.24 - Even in the midst of collapse, Emily Dickinson presents us with a reflective view of her inner thoughts that verges on beauty. Where most might evince panic or dread, Nora Louise Syran's Emily finds (as she says) paradise, and the mind of God. And you are led to wonder, what if she stayed there? What if she wasn't brought back? Heady food for thought here.

Even between life and death Emily Dickinson is pure poetry. In a situation that would strike panic in fear in mortals, the artist analyzes her paralysis and looks inward to truth, beauty and hope. Art never dies. This is poetry, so still yet so vibrantly full of life.

There's a profound stillness to the proceedings. I've never seen such an elegant depiction of the liminal space between life and death as the limbo Syran presents. Physically prone and paralyzed, metaphysically Emily Dickinson is poised, upright, a vision in white, as a tug-of-war is waged for her immortal soul. It's a war she's uninterested in winning on conventional terms. The art is what is meant to last. The aftermath of the battle is a stunner that will resound within my soul. [10.21.24]

Because she could not stop for death, death kindly stopped for her. The last laments of the creative mind is mired with the guilt of unfinished creations. There is always more to say. Nora Louise Syran has given us a glimpse of the call to heaven for one of the most remarkable poets to ever live.

[2024-10-20]

A brilliantly evocative and moving portrayal of the great poet Emily Dickinson in what seems like her final moments. Nora Louise Syran makes great use of Dickinson's poetry in this wonderful short play about mortality and the spiritual realm. This would be a treat to stage, for set designers, actors and audiences. Bravo!

In just a few moments of time Syran’s theatrical play centering Emily Dickinson explores transitions both earthly and spiritual and gives us a fascinating lyrical glimpse into the mind of an extraordinary woman. Anyone who knows anything about Dickinson will find that Syran has created a vividly compelling voice for her and a character that would be a gift for an actress to perform. The surprising ending is a moving commentary on Dickinson’s life as well as the challenge of writing creatively in a world that doesn't always value that gift either in Dickinson's time or ours.

This short play is like a jewel-filled treasure hunt for fans of Emily Dickinson, loaded with references to her most famous verses, plus specific allusions to her inspiring, eventful, (alas, often disappointing) life. It's filled with depth and dimension, with emotion and realizations coming in waves, which would make it a phenomenal treat for an actress looking to show off her range. The powerful and bittersweet ending is a stunningly prescient prophecy about the life of this incredible woman.