Recommended by Arthur M Jolly

I saw the Wordsmyth reading in Houston - and I strongly recommend that any theatre - or university - looking for a nuanced, emotionally engaging, theatrically daring and utterly original take on student/mentor relationships look at this one. The multiple gendered portrayal of the teacher and the student is no mere gimmick - it is an astounding theatrical leap. This is a play written without pronouns - a technical feat of playwriting used to great effect, and one that will open a whole new conversation with your audience,

Powerful, haunting - at times darkly funny. I saw the reading of this play at the Last Frontier Theatre Conference - the last play of the week, and what a strong piece to end with. There is a line in the first scene, between two twelve year old girls, one coaching the other about bulimia. One asks: how am I supposed to feel?" after a beat, the other replies "Empty." You could hear the mass exhalation of the audience in the room when that line landed. This play has depth and resonance.

I saw this in Los Angeles at Elephant Theatre - utterly brilliant, and a beautiful production. I saw it a few years later, I forget where and was once again so impressed: it's such a perfect little play - room for physical humor, to throw in a touch of slapstick in a very clever, unexpected (no pun intended) fashion. This will send the audience out with a smile on their faces.

A fascinating premise, with a surprising twist at the end that I just did not see coming. Like the best ten minute plays, this gives us a tantalizing glimpse of a whole new world, and wisely lets its characters live out their critical moment in a way that illustrates it, could only happen in it - and yet never feels forced or expositional. This is a world close to our own, which makes it all the more frightening.

Clever, pointed - more relevant today than ever, this is a smartly written little gem of a play that should be considered by any theatre looking to explore the #MeToo movement on stage - and the wider implications around it. It does what theatre does best, creating a world with a distinctive view that forces us to question or own world and our own world-view, while never becoming preachy or obvious.

Fun and funny, a playful twist on the classic fairytale. One of the very few ten minute plays to have a sword fight, and probably of interest to any actors looking to add a little stage combat to an evening of short works.

This is a huge, sprawling play - a drama of scope, both in its subject matter and its deep understanding. If you are looking for a play that sweeps your audience up and carries them along on an emotional ride, I recommend reading this one. Mid-size cast, with some powerful roles for strong actors.

A powerful monologue - raw and emotional, with resonance and depth. It's not simple, it's not clean and obvious; it has complexity and nuance. This one might be great for competitions.