←Recommendations of The Resolution

Forgive me, I'm still recovering from reading Daniel Prillaman's unhinged, madcap, & utterly destabilizing exercise in sociopathy & gaslighting, THE RESOLUTION. Erin is a compelling nightmare figure, and the reality-distortion field she creates for the people in her orbit makes for thrilling drama - and while this is not a facially political play, its resonances with the last decade of the American experience are there if you care to look. (Extra points here also for frakkin' BSG fans!)

Not just a gut punch, but a series of them, THE RESOLUTION explores a very 21st century brand of self-reclamation at the expense of everyone who isn't the self in question. Erin is a fascinating creation, and the other characters in her orbit all feel equally specific and individuated. This play hurts in a deep and real way (this is highest praise, btw).

Prillaman is expert at writing about the darkest parts of humanity, creating patently absurd stories that I relate to on a deep level. This is one such story, and, reader, it made me so, so anxious... because they are a master of tension, wielding humor and horror with an astounding deftness that should be studied! The emotional whiplash is non-stop, the character voices are deliciously specific, and it's nerdy as hell! I will be thinking about this one for a LONG time... with a knot in my gut!

Erin is a Millennial Hedda Gabler. One day, she decides to become a darker and more sadistic person, claiming power in a society that denies her autonomy. How this impacts her caring and supportive friends is both horrifying and hysterical to watch (a box of "some old shit" comes into play). Prillaman's dialogue reads almost like a Yorgos Lanthimos film--precise, polite, yet with a Swiss army knife hidden in plain sight. This play will leave audiences beguiled and provoked. Brilliant work!