Recommended by Kel Vance

"Tea In The Afternoon" with its beautifully crafted characters is superbly written. Bes and Elizabeth's journey, while feeling familiar, offers surprising twists that are rooted in its often brutal honesty and heart wrenching reality of life for those with, and for those caring for loved ones with dementia. Evoking empathy through humour, Shealy deftly peels through the layers of what it means to be family. A wonderful addition to any festival or theatre seeking to champion women's stories.

This play, exquisitely crafted, intimately looks at the horrors of war. With its beautifully drawn characters of Hasti and Mariam, Dias takes you on an emotional journey through that which should never be endured, that powerfully centres us in a world, that while unfamiliar to most, is all too real for many. It's this reality, artfully created, that draws you in and haunts you before leaving you with a motivating push, that we can and must do more. An important piece, necessary for any festival that wishes to engage and offer thought provoking theatre.

"East Stanton Station" by Mara Dresner is a call to arms. The smart, snappy dialogue flows smoothly with the humorous interplay between the characters creatively reminding each of us that we have the power to make a difference in the world and how easy it is for us to forget and be complacent. The dark comedic overtone does not diminish the strong message that change starts with the individual, in fact it reinforces it perfectly.

I truly enjoyed this deftly crafted play by Steven Hayet. The creative interplay between the two main characters, John and Connie, and their respective 'support' teams, allows us to peak beneath the surface and meaningfully examine the nuances of sexism in the age of 'gotcha moments' in a highly humorous way. Perfect for any play festival.

I love '153' by Steven Martin. It is beautifully crafted with its intimate, intense and personal dialogue that is relatable for each of us. It forces us to look within and ultimately with self reflection and soul searching find the part of us we've been missing, hiding or yet to discover. '153' leaves you determined to be kinder to who you were, who you are now and hopeful, for who you are to become. A truly wonderful play for any festival.

'Burkini Blues' is a clever, humorous play by Bryan Stubbles that takes on the heavy hitting subjects of sexism and racism in such an ingeniously comedic way. There's real craft in the way the conversation unfolds between Pierre and Hadiah as the tension escalates to its highly amusing ending. Would so love to see this on stage!

I found 'Hindsight' to be a touching, joyous play that fools you with its light easy banter before producing a knock-out punch that hits you deep, reminding you of the fleetingness of life and the need to really 'see' the world and those around us. A memorable short play that would be perfect for any festival.

'Utopia Found' exudes a warm humor with deft subtly and emotion that rightly pulls you in to this intimate world. There's such beauty in the way the conversation between the two travelers and Uriel unfolds that it reaches out and grabs a hold of your heart, leaving you with a hopeful image of what life is all about. Exquisitely written, I would so love to see this play performed.

I found 'A Humble Path' truly mesmerising. A suspenseful dark tale with a character that we unwillingly see the harsh truth of ourselves reflected in. Steve Martin has crafted a masterful ten minute monologue that is captivating and compelling - a must for any play festival.

There's a quiet comedic beauty in the way the conversation unfolds between these two stuck strangers, who given their forced circumstances, become more than this in a short span of time. 'The Big Blow' is exquisitely written with deft subtly and humour that easily draws you into its intimate and yet suspenseful world.