←Recommendations of Erstwhile

Oh, if theatre were played out like a game of Scrabble, this lovely short would be a Triple word score, for certain. Loved the three female characters and the raw honesty of this piece.

This lovely and moving study of loss features three compelling women, each attempting to cope in her own way. Guilt and defensive humor and exhaustion mark their desperate attempts to deal with their husband and father's descent into dementia. Their strategies and emotions are real and difficult to face, which gives this play its power and hint of grace.

Man, talk about sticking the landing! Floyd-Priskorn's play about one of life's tougher adjustment periods gets so many details just right: "Ma" versus "mommy," the deep and apt reference to the Roman Empire, and, again, that beautiful, sad, lovely finale. Moving, to say the least.

This family gathering has it all: love, loss, and laughs… These folks—and their experience—are realistic and relatable. Label this one ‘inviting.’

Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn understand that in art and life, the best way to deal with heavy situations is with generous doses of acid humor. The situation these women are facing is no fun at all: the grinding, slow decay of their father and husband from dementia. But their sharp familial wit serves as a lifeline and anchor as they each process the loss (and the labor it requires) with sharp squeezes of lemon, avoiding mawkishness and letting genuine feeling sneak in through the snark. Lovely.

What a beautifully raw and poignant (11 point word in Scrabble) short play by JACQUELYN FLOYD-PRISKORN. Audiences will feel the grief of losing someone a little bit each day as the love that has always surrounded this family keeps them moving forward with humor and hope. JUST LOVELY.

02.16.26 - There's a gentle sadness over the proceedings in this play, and yet, we see the obvious love this family has for each other. The ribbing between siblings, the admiration for their father's love of words, mom's dedication to her husband, even as she loses touch with him. This sense of family keeps this play from becoming maudlin, and despite the subject matter, I think an audience would gain a sense of hope in these people. Jacquie Floyd never disappoints.

Such lovely, lived-in dialogue in this play, letting us piece together the lives of the characters. Such a thoughtful, tender study of family life and the pain and inevitability of letting go. Bonus points for such effective use of the word "erstwhile."

As loved ones age, cognitive decline ultimately impacts most families. This thoughtful and touching short play approaches the topic with both honesty and affection. Family members get a glimpse into the world Dad was living in through some cryptic, one-word notes he left behind, which in turn creates a connectedness between all of them. This play will move audiences.

Ah, the things we remember. Sometimes at times when we really don't want to have to remember them the way they do. And yet, there they still are. Jacquie's piece absolutely captures the essence of that melancholy and provides us with a still warm and tender look at a family dealing with the most existential of crises: the "loss" of a loved one and yet they're still PHYSICALLY there. Touching and moving... this piece will make a valuable addition to any 10-minute festival that would have it.