Recommended by Paul Donnelly

Mel Brooks once said, "The only way to get even with anybody is to ridicule them. So, the only real way I could get even with Hitler and company was to bring them down with laughter." Morey Norkin successfully takes the same approach to contemporary white nationalist Holocaust deniers. I hope that his optimistic ending has real world application.

An eerie and potent exploration of the meaning of immortality, its appeal and its costs. The narrative is perfectly paced and Micah's loneliness is haunting. The final moments feel both surprising and inevitable. All-in-all a superb and subtle bit of gothic horror, leavened with humor.

it's certainly possible to take an obsession too far, as Giles certainly does. The build as ice cream flavors become progressively more ... novel is most amusing.

Sam gets way more than he bargained for in the latest set up by his friend Angie. The funny, natural dialogue between the two friends becomes fraught with the arrival of Pat. The ensuing confusion is great fun.

Cyrano meets Dr. Doolittle in this wonderfully lunatic romantic comedy. So many witty lines lead up to Raphio's insanely bad advice and Nora's even funnier blow up. Patrick's surprising response is truly delightful. All-in-all great fun.

Mimi is certainly a vivid character with a vivid, if ironically horrific, narrative to share. This piece quite effectively satirizes the ethos of the titular theatre festival.

What an eerie meditation on a dystopian future and on the horror of narcissism in the midst of tragedy.
The poignant histories painted by Eric, Mary and L.B. are moving and unsettling. Lisette is a frivolous and benign seeming monster. Their interactions and fates will continue to haunt me.

The anxiety and contortions required to remain in the closet are compellingly illustrated in this portrait of an important moment in queer history. Hooker's study broke new ground among mental health professionals and we see here just how much courage it took for gay men to participate.

An engrossing meditation on the value of life when life is hard to value. The nuances of the sibling relationship between Shauna and Ryan are especially compelling. It almost seems as though Ryan finds redemption when Shauna makes her final choice.

That the build to horror is so subtle and unexpected gives this piece its incredible power. Lucy is an engaging young woman with a life of promise. It isn't possible to be comfortable by the time she has finished speaking.