Recommended by Scott Sickles

The one-minute play is a fascinating format, more designed for capturing a moment than to create drama. Matthew Weaver, as ever, manages to do both. It doesn’t matter if what’s at stake is important to the audicence, when it’s important to the characters. Here, Riley wants to be more wry. It’s that simple. It’s important to them. There’s an objection, an action, even an obstacle, leading to a resolution. Heart, humor, a relationship, all in less time than it takes to read this recommendation. And an amusing moment is captured.

This is an utter joy to recite. A great spin on the story of the Garden of Eden, it has the feel of the last chapter of RASHOMON when you finally learn the truth. Honesty about Divine deception confessed during an act of savagery. And of course the serpent would be a good liar, so who knows if this is true? But he tells one helluva tale.

Weaver fashions yet another jewel out of the seemingly mundane. It's sneaks right up to you then reveals itself with elegant simplicity. Loved it.

I guffawed at the character descriptions!!!

The play itself is hilarious and indeed unique, like something David Ives could have written if he were in an especially silly and creative mood but ran out of time. And if he were Matthew Weaver!!!

All I could think while I was reading it was, "how to stage this???" and two words leapt to mind: projection design! The costumes could also be fabulous and simple. And TOTALLY WORTH IT, even for a one-minute play!

A hoot!

We have to be carefully taught. And sometimes we're taught right! We're taught compassion, respect, and humanity! These values have clearly been passed down to Francis/Francis. What the monologue captures so expertly is how children parrot what they've been told and process it into their own logic and lives. Francis/Frances knows what they've learned is important and that it must be said aloud to others, so they can hear it and know! And where better than Sunday School??? Go forth, Francis/Frances, and speak your truth!

This is a story about a quest. As with any grand quest, it's about more than the object of the search. It's about loyalty and longevity, about relying on people, about finding hope in the darkest, foulest places. It's about the practical and passionate reasons why we do what we need to do to provide for our loves ones and ourselves. Very funny and quietly resonant.

In the future, humankind will send its best and brightest to Mars... and apparently these people. Betty, Fred and Barney have embarked on this voyage despite having limited capacity to carry it out. One wonders if they're actually some kind of experiment. But they are good people, robust and insecure. They might not be able to take care of themselves, but they will somehow take care of each other! Nonsequiteurs ricochet until a crisis ensues resulting in highly enjoyable panic. Reminiscent of the song “Why Do the Wrong People Travel?" these reluctant astronauts really need a Wilma! GREAT FUN!!!

Highly amusing and deeply relatable, especially if you've had to market anything or have had anything to market, especially if the thing you need to market is at all unusual or niche. Sometimes, you get a good marketing person and other times you get Matt. Matt should be selling used cars or cheap cologne but instead has to market scientific research to university donors. Grace is the researcher he needs to "sell." She doesn't have the time or patience for nonsense, so she relies on knowledge and pragmatism in a great way! Well done, Grace... and Jeff!

What's funny is, right above this recommendation window are the words "RECOMMEND SAD LONELY PEOPLE." As though it's asking for referrals.

What's hilarious is this play! It's a perfect concerto of deadpan declarations and awkward minipauses infused with effortless honesty.

Sometimes characters are too self-aware. But for these two people, acute self-knowledge is their greatest handicap and what gives the play its powerful comic punch. Their preconceptions of themselves prevent them from seeing their own potential, though not necessarily each other's.

If I had to "recommend sad lonely people" these two would be at the top of my list!

As a long-time TOP CHEF viewer, all I can say is PREACH!!! The moment I saw the title, I wondered how long it would be before the titular Chef said, "I'm not here to make friends." Sentence #2, people! It's a perfect representation of the cheftestant who will most likely not win the season. Honestly, the only words missing are "sous vide" and "foam."

Now I want to watch TOP CHEF.