←Recommendations of There is No Bird

Alaina Tennant leaves much to conjecture in "There is No Bird." As forty-year-old John holds vigil over the dying 17-year-old Oliver, their relationship is never spelled out. John denies he's Oliver's father, but is he? There is obviously a strong connection between them. In his last moments, Oliver hallucinates a bird flying about the room. Is it his soul fighting to escape--or not? This is an emotional little play that will leave an indelible memory.

A haunting exploration of grief, resilience, and the unspoken bonds of tethered hope.

A beautifully crafted piece. I would have liked to know at the start what time period this was set in but by the end it didn't matter. It would work for any characters at any time in a similar situation. A lot of emotion packed into a few short pages. It left me wanting to know more, which is an ideal situation. There's lots here for the actors to work with.

Sal's solid intuition of John's strong feelings for the teenager is adeptly conveyed by her story of an Uncle Grover. Whether or not Uncle Grover was fictitious we will never know, but it is a clever way of subtly leading John to acknowledge how much he cares for the boy, probably because she cares enough to know John will bitterly regret leaving him behind even if the boy survives. Emotionally charged story.

A concise piece that can stand on its own or open the door to more. The rhythm is consistent and beautiful. This piece pulls the reader in with no hesitation and holds tight until the end.

10/29/24: Wonderful character touches in this short little piece. You're perhaps left wondering about things that lead to the present situation, but that to me is the appeal of a good short. Get as many answers as you need, and you're allowed to imagine the rest. Good work by Tennant here in stirring the imagination in a short burst.

A tightly woven glimpse of three very real characters of the American West and the very real struggle it was to reach "California" and all it promised. Loved Sal's instinctive, genuine care for Oliver. The piece stands on its own, but the audience will want to know more. Brava! (Oct 29, 2024)

In just five pages there is so much said, and so much left open. There may be no bird, but there are three characters with depth, with back stories and their own pain.
As it stands, this play is a perfect snapshot of time.
I would live to find out what happens next, and before of course. Hopefully we will be treated to more! Great work!

A beautiful short play. Would love to see what brought these characters here, and what happens after. Sal is very interesting.