Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Perhaps this play should be rechristened Bonkers for Christmas. Although the current title is richly resonant. Vixen is led to the secret of a truly perfect party through a series of seeming disasters and the guidance of her most colorful fellow reindeer. This is a joyous holiday confection, indeed!

Heather's decency is her downfall in this riveting and deeply disturbing horror story. A chill wind blows through the world of the play, both literally and metaphorically. This is a creepily effective story rendered in such a short time.

Two women with seemingly nothing in common find a shared connection in response to the algorithm's attempt to exert full power over their lives. The algorithm is a vividly theatrical presence and these two women are clearly and wittily drawn. This play is great fun and a vital commentary on the dominance of technology in modern life.

Audiences will be debating The Hammer's unresolved choice long after this engrossing play ends. The unique milieu and the characters who inhabit it are vividly rendered. Generational change is difficult for the older generation and the conflict between career and family is painful. This is a Christmas play in the way that Die Hard is a Christmas movie!

These focus group participants get a lot more than they bargained for in this deliciously dark farce. To follow the instructions of the diabolical Susan and give a one-word response, I would have to say hysterical. Left to my own devices I would add demented, hilarious, and constantly surprising.

The change can be really difficult to navigate, but Melissa's experience of the change takes things to a whole new level. There are so many funny lines on the way to the final reveal that make Melissa's change all the more horrifying. I will not join the chorus calling for more. I think this piece is perfect just as it is.

This sweetly melancholy play captures the spirit of Christmas without the usual treadle. Alec has much to mourn this Christmas Eve, but his essential goodness and decency shine through. Every character is vividly drawn and two characters' slight deviation from their fundamental nature provides a final note of affirmation. This play is simply lovely and thoroughly engaging throughout.

The closing line of this disturbing but absolutely riveting play perfectly captures the sad and the ironic elements of Tickles' story. While Tickles' act is monstrous, his sad and disappointing life make it distressingly comprehensible. This thoughtful play forces an audience to consider the limits of empathy and the monstrous spirit that can live in each of us.

The love and acceptance of a sister help Chelsea overcome her hurt at the boycott of her birthday party by supposed friends. It also opens the door to Chelsea accepting her full self, including her sexuality. This play is a lovely valentine to sibling dynamics. It's great fun and most heartening to be along for the ride.

It begins to seem like insomnia is the least of Ryan's worries, until the last surprising twist in this expertly constructed comedy. This play is such great fun all the way through from initial premise through that final unexpected twist.