←Recommendations of Erstwhile

Erstwhile is a thoughtfully constructed short play that balances wit with an underlying sense of reflection and consequence. Philip Middleton Williams uses polished dialogue and an inventive premise to explore questions of privilege, identity, and accountability, creating an engaging two-hander that is both entertaining and quietly resonant.

04/03/2026 -Wow! This play went in a multitude of directions that I was not expecting, and I absolutely loved it! What begins with two men crossing paths in a park (reminiscent of Waiting for Godot) turns into something much more with the revelation of secret connections as well as a variety of twists that keep building off each other in a believable and engaging way. A lot of suspense, humor, and even some history of the British Royal Family, Phillip's "Erstwhile" is a real winner!

This crown jewel of a play turns a different facet when we realize who we are actually watching in Philip Middletown Williams' ERSTWHILE. We haven't heard this story yet. As these two unemployed men discuss freedom, we are also parsing their lives only to find they don't even have each other. A thoughtful, quiet play that is the wrapping on the most exposed lives. Nicely done.

There is a moment in this script where, suddenly, the entire play recontextualizes itself - that's the sort of good writing and theatrical magic I crave in a short script... even a piece like this, about men I'd prefer to think about less! This moral tale, almost like a royal Christmas Carol, is thoughtfully structured and incredibly witty, with a few perfectly placed lines that make me genuinely belly laugh. This piece will give audiences a lot to think about and discuss after 'end of play.'

Hell is other people, but some people don’t deserve Hell.

Williams gets ahead of the headlines with this powerful piece that imagines where those who are worthily and summarily cancelled must live out the rest of their days. “Erstwhile” reminds us that not every legacy is to be celebrated. Some will take generations to undo the damage done, whether their perpetrators are still around to lend a hand or not.

There's nothing new under the sun. This can bring comfort or could feel like a curse. Let's hope one unemployed "gentleman" can teach the other "gentleman" how to behave in future. "The punishment is your freedom" -- freedom to stop and think about actions and their consequences. "After all, tomorrow is another day..." is perhaps alluded to here: let's hope so. For all our sakes.

Not just a chance meeting in the park… An easy-to-stage piece, but one that bridges two worlds through carefully crafted dialogue and plenty of imagination!

I thought I knew where this was going, and was delightfully surprised to be wrong. Philip Middleton Williams' "two unemployed men" prove to be far more notable and significant than his droll understatement suggests, and what follows is a hard-earned lesson in history, reckoning, and the choices we make after we lose. A sly piece of work.

If only these meetings could have happened BEFORE these men wasted their lives and others due to wealth, boredom or otherwise. But it feels like a very powerful lesson is here. Hopefully it will be heard.

Literally ripped from the headlines, Williams places his characters at a moment of reckoning, and allows one character more capacity for introspection and thoughtfulness than I suspect the real-life counterpart is capable of/deserves, but that is what art is for - catharsis for the world-weary audience!!
Devoted fans of Williams will find his signature charm and wit contained within.