Recommended by Paul Donnelly

What a glorious riff on the Scottish Play! Being King and Queen hasn't panned out quite as they expected so Lady M decides they Need a Little Christmas. Skewed references to the Scottish Play abound, creating a delirious sense of fun. I really can't stress enough how clever and funny this play is.

An utterly haunting depiction of a unique horror visited on an innocent teen-aged girl. Gripping from the start, this monologue didn't let go long after I finished reading. I was so shaken I had to step away before attempting to write a recommendation. This is a most original and unforgettable work.

What a witty look at AI's shortcomings in the production of art. Could there still be a place in the brave new world of AI for actual human creativity? The greed of those who would attempt to pass off AI production as art also gets its comeuppance. All in all, a very funny play with a most satisfying resolution.

This very funny short looks at one man's desperate quest for redemption. The conflict between Gabe and Lucy for the fate of his soul is engaging and the depiction of his life which emerges is amusing. A clever conceit well realized.

A very clever look at the mechanisms behind recovery from a hangover and the hangover's effect on Creativity. The interactions between Brain and Hangover are wittily rendered,

That last line, ooomph. The vivid and sometimes harrowing narrative leading up to it is quite compelling, but that final moment is a real heartbreaker. Like the best horror stories, the benign world only slips away gradually so that we barely clock entering the realm of the fantastically malevolent.

Ruth plans her own memorial service as a way to stage manage her loved ones' lives from beyond the grave, but those lives are more complex than she had reckoned. The characters who gather are vividly drawn and their revelations and longings, their pleasures and disappointments are compellingly rendered.

Mom's memory issues are touchingly and subtly revealed in this lovely, melancholy two-hander. Jane has clearly been down this road before and treats her mother with care and grace.

Poor Nathan releases his nervousness in an incessant stream of chat. Elise, we learn, is more than just a patient listener. Her final revelation puts Nathan in his place, but also gives him another goal to aspire toward. The dialogue is brisk and engaging, fully revealing these disparate characters.

This play is a powerful example of the pain and betrayal far too many gay lovers suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of homophobic families. At a time when one is already overcome with grief for the death of a lover, it is abhorrent that families of origin can sweep in and exclude one from involvement in the lover's passing and memorial. Sandra's obituary is a real slap in the face of the life James and Ben shared.