Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Martha ricochets most poignantly from despair to hope, from anger at Putin to a simple desire to be able to live her life. She chronicles the war's impact on her own psyche and on her whole country. She is a model of stalwart courage and fragile resilience. This is a moving record of one young woman's life in the midst of an unjust war.

It's hard to be two average little league dads when one of you is a therapist and the other is a client. So much comic gold is mined from the aspects of the client's issues that do leak out. The therapist sure has his hands full. It's also a wonder that his poor son Jarrod can concentrate at all with his lunatic father sitting behind home plate.

So many issues of real importance are raised in this heart-racing narrative. The meanings of family, of marriage, and of service are all movingly explored as we are drawn into the mystery of the accusations swirling around Hilda. The mystery hovers for me over even the last line.

This is a very moving story of a difficult reconciliation. This mother and daughter struggle to overcome years of resentment and mistreatment. Hurtful things are detailed and owned and the final gesture toward healing is concrete and lovely.

What starts as a witty exchange between two sisters on responses to abstract art shifts to a weighty exploration of a sister who is deeply disturbed and the sister who cannot rescue her. We are left hoping, but doubting that Carrie will get to her Moscow.

Three very distinctly drawn and amusing dogs wait for the friend who is going to save them from fireworks.
Ah but Roger can't come today. He says he'll come tomorrow. But will he? Will Roger ever come?

Ace and Loopy should start a counseling practice. These wise and witty puppets help a grieving woman overcome her guilt over her withdrawal from her father before he died. There is also a recurring gag about how the puppets are animated that is just too funny.

It takes the peculiar puppets (who are as daftly funny as they are charming) to help Philip begin to recover from his all-consuming grief. This is a story with a serious core that is explored and illuminated through magic and whimsy. There is so much vivid theatricality at play that it would be a real joy to see this piece fully staged.

The Bear, it seems, finds love in the midst of his most spectacular adventure yet. His Vampire skills are used to great effect and his endearing narcissism keeps the humor flowing. I join Heather is singing his praises.

The course of true love ne'er did run smooth ... especially not when one partner is fully human and the other has been programmed to respond. This is a very witty look at the possible repercussions of the movement of ever more life-like robots into daily life and a thoughtful consideration of what motivates attraction.