Recommended by Paul Donnelly

A poignant comedy, filled with a mix of laughter and pain. What is set up as a passing of the torch becomes even richer and more resonant as a hidden truth is revealed.

This play takes daddy issues to dizzying, dazzling heights. All of the characters have amusing attributes and the satire of group therapy is spot on. The appearance of Dave's step-dad at the end is a particularly effective comic moment.

Who's hosting Jeopardy is the surface conversation, but the strong responses expressed and the way they're expressed reveal a complex undertow. These two eminently sympathetic characters are sublimating dealing with change and loss with subtlety that doesn't quite conceal their depth of feeling.

Billy's journey from hope to despair is painful, yet sneakily funny. Anyone who has ever been through any kind of application process should be able to relate.

A shrine can be a loving memorial, it can also be a stifling prison of oppressive memory. The shrine to Abby is both. We see the impact of loss and refusing to face loss on four deeply sympathetic characters trapped in a prison of grief. When one begins to break free it at first hurts, but ultimately liberates the others. This is a complex and moving story related with skill and empathy.

Riley has found a stunning way to deal with the pain of their abusive childhood. What starts out as raucous comedy quickly grows deeper and darker and richer as their motive is revealed.

Sometimes it takes a corndog to trigger a glimmer of self-awareness. Vesper wants an audience, Kaden wants a corndog, both get more than they bargained for in this comic gem. Funnel cake, anyone?

A lovely monologue about strategies for not facing our truths until the truth becomes too real and too pressing to be ignored. Amanda is quirky and engaging and I was glad to share her journey.

A truly inspired mash-up of the Scottish play and the Santa story. With Santa out Scrooging Scrooge (oops! wrong play!). The laughs, both verbal and visual, just keep snowballing. This is an adult comedy that redefines holiday cheer.

This particular chocolate cake had better be worth the calories to Sandra and the effort to Kim. This play is certainly a delicious confection for the reader or audience.