←Recommendations of 37 Origami Bees (short)

Oh boy, swallowing your rage and trying not to get angry and failing miserably is so relatable! I love that about this short, and also how natural the dialogue feels and especially, especially the way Claire and Gordon continue to put in the hard work to sustain their relationship rather than giving up and letting it die.

Navigating long-term relationships is an always a growing process. DAVID HILDER has created a wonderful short piece that gives us moments with CLAIRE and GORDON during their current adventure of learning how to communicate their feelings in healthy ways. Who knows, maybe they'll end of going on a cruise together... just the two of them.

Even the strongest relationships have speedbumps. And after so much time, it's easy to see how Claire and Gordon can get irritable with each other. The therapist exercises were a good start, but such a lovely moment when Gordon opens the door for Claire to just feel her feelings. Which opens the door for new hobbies and adventures together or apart. A lovely story of relationships and imperfect moments becoming perfect.

02.08.25 - Coping mechanisms come in all shapes and sizes. Including bee-sized ones. David Hilder shows us a couple trying to work out their issues with each other by setting a time limit for their aggression. But when that doesn't quite do the trick, Claire reveals a new one. And it seems like it just might "bee" the thing. It's as heart-warming and delicate as a paper sculpture of a bee.

The structure of this piece is as intricately folded as an origami bee, and that was just one thing I admired in its reading. The comedic touches at the beginning are just great, and Hilder builds the tension effectively until you reach the satisfying climax at the end. Wonderfully drawn characters in a short piece... pretty great achievement! This short would do very well in any short-play festival that puts it on the bill. Audiences are going to enjoy it much, methinks.