←Recommendations of Guilty Pleasure

  • Eleanor Evans-Wickberg: Guilty Pleasure by Charlie Probus
    “

    A priest discovers a distressed teenage boy praying in his church and offers him help. What ensues is a captivating game of cat and mouse, where nothing is as it seems. This script packs a punch in such a short runtime, diving headfirst into complex territory with two flawed characters. Probus has gifted us with a play that is not only thematically rich—raising vital questions about faith, corruption, and vampirism—but is also incredible entertaining. Highly recommend!

    A priest discovers a distressed teenage boy praying in his church and offers him help. What ensues is a captivating game of cat and mouse, where nothing is as it seems. This script packs a punch in such a short runtime, diving headfirst into complex territory with two flawed characters. Probus has gifted us with a play that is not only thematically rich—raising vital questions about faith, corruption, and vampirism—but is also incredible entertaining. Highly recommend!

    ”
  • Maximillian Gill: Guilty Pleasure by Charlie Probus
    “

    Intense, parable-like in its simplicity, sacramental in its treatment of doubt and faith. The best vampire tales are allegorical, and this short, smart piece gives us so much in its examination of a character's struggles with their identity. We open and end on prayer; in between is an acre of guilt, absolution, hypocrisy, and anguish both physical and emotional. A vital, moving play.

    Intense, parable-like in its simplicity, sacramental in its treatment of doubt and faith. The best vampire tales are allegorical, and this short, smart piece gives us so much in its examination of a character's struggles with their identity. We open and end on prayer; in between is an acre of guilt, absolution, hypocrisy, and anguish both physical and emotional. A vital, moving play.

    ”
  • Philip Middleton Williams: Guilty Pleasure by Charlie Probus
    “

    The dilemma that confronts Gabriel is multidimensional: a devout Catholic, openly queer, and a vampire. How do they reconcile these elements of their life? Trying to gain absolution in the confessional carries with it the additional awareness that Father Harris is also dealing with their own past, of which Gabriel is fully aware. Both occupants of the confessional have more to deal with than recited rosaries. They both need to find the Light, and this play does not hold back.

    The dilemma that confronts Gabriel is multidimensional: a devout Catholic, openly queer, and a vampire. How do they reconcile these elements of their life? Trying to gain absolution in the confessional carries with it the additional awareness that Father Harris is also dealing with their own past, of which Gabriel is fully aware. Both occupants of the confessional have more to deal with than recited rosaries. They both need to find the Light, and this play does not hold back.

    ”
  • Jon Herbert: Guilty Pleasure by Charlie Probus
    “

    It's outrageous the way the Catholic Church condemns queerness while quietly dismissing the sexual indiscretions of its priests, bishops and clergy. This play holds both of these ideas up to the light. In these pages, Charlie presents a clever allegory of youth struggling to hold their identity as a queer person AND a creation of God while also. This play also shines a light on the issue of sex abuse by priests. There is so much going on in this very important play.

    It's outrageous the way the Catholic Church condemns queerness while quietly dismissing the sexual indiscretions of its priests, bishops and clergy. This play holds both of these ideas up to the light. In these pages, Charlie presents a clever allegory of youth struggling to hold their identity as a queer person AND a creation of God while also. This play also shines a light on the issue of sex abuse by priests. There is so much going on in this very important play.

    ”
  • Thea Belle: Guilty Pleasure by Charlie Probus
    “

    This play is VISCERAL! Charlie has such a masterful control over language that the entire audience was on the edge of their seats! It's such a tightly woven web of detail that I could watch this play multiple times and pick up something new during each viewing.

    This play is VISCERAL! Charlie has such a masterful control over language that the entire audience was on the edge of their seats! It's such a tightly woven web of detail that I could watch this play multiple times and pick up something new during each viewing.

    ”