←Recommendations of Unbelted

Shades of Requiem for a Heavyweight. Brent Alles gives us a ringside seat to witness a pro wrestling champion in defeat and possibly at the end of his career. The physical pain and emotional turmoil exhibited in UNBELTED are palpable. A truly engrossing drama that I would love to see on stage.

Brent Alles' "Unbelted" is a short glimspe into the world of "professional" wrestling that is both poignant and incisive. The emotional and psychological tension between the characters is so real as to be unbearable. As one who is not particularly drawn to this world, I found that Mr. Alles had created characters - like those in Mickey Rourke's "The Wrestler" - who are intriguing and captivating in and of themselves. Nicely done!

11.26.25 - We tend to look at wrestlers as these larger-than-life muscle-bound monsters who are able to take folding chairs to the head and body slams into ringside tables, but we don't get to see them fight the real fights of life. Like battling age, obsolescence, and the responsibilities that come with marriage and fatherhood. Brent Alles gives us a real fight, with real stakes and it won't be a pay-per-view event. These characters are compelling and the injuries they inflict are all too real.

Professional wrestling is probably the closest thing we have in our modern age to the Shakespearian Theater of the Elizabethan era - grandiose characters, lavish soliloquies, gross physicality, and targeted toward a mass audience. Brent Alles' "Unbelted" takes us behind the scenes on Christmas Day to witness the cashiering of one of these legendary thespians as he gets "traded it" for a new model. Hard-hitting and authentic - this one will bodyslam you.

Interesting peek behind the curtain of professional wrestling. The authentic view into this world that Brent Alles creates serves to enhance the universal drama playing out in the locker room. Having to choose between the job you love and the people you love will always be bittersweet. This fine, short play will keep you engaged as Dan "wrestles" with this decision.

BRENT ALLES brings the fascinating world of professional wrestling to life in his new short play. Our “unbelted” struggles, sacrifices, and sense time quickly catching up with will resonate with those of us the seats a little more “seasoned” than others.

This is so engaging. A story many of us never get to see staged. And Dan's aging out of a career he gave his life, body and love to is very relatable. I can see this as a very popular series...maybe not on Netflix, if they did Dan dirty like that!