Recommended by Brent Alles

The pace is breakneck and breathtaking. Going to assume that the dialogue is authentic to youth of the time period in question, because it definitely feels so. Much like the characters are bombarded by the constant flow of the Internet, we the audience are similarly bombarded with words and imagery until we're also not quite sure what's fantasy and what's reality. Are we "catfished" as well? It's an experience, friend, a definite experience. A raw, edgy, and provocative dark comedy/tragedy here.

Lovely connections made here between the two central characters. A heartwarming tale that leaves one tentatively hopeful for what may lie ahead. There's a knowing, climactic line uttered by Nadia towards the end of the piece that just, well, man, made me want to etch it into stone and be able to recall that whenever I may have a need. It's wonderful to see Nadia and Caleb provide what's needed for each other as the piece progresses. Incredibly moving ten minute! The polar opposite of rotten.

I was ready for the quirky concept to be enjoyable, and it was, but Dear Reader, I was not ready for the depth of the emotion that would be found as the play unfolded. A warm and tender exploration of what it means to be "human" in this increasingly cold and technological age. "Play something... hopeful..." one of the characters utters towards the end of the play; this was indeed the playing of something hopeful as I read the script and viewed a performance of it. Wonderful!

Palfi writes an effective piece dripping in irony here, and we definitely feel the frustration of one of the main characters as the narrative unfolds. That being said, good satire has its hooks in the truth, and we are witness to that. We can be disgusted and disheartened by some of the actions of the characters, and yet we recognize the reality that the scenes distort in the slightly askew "funhouse mirror." Rich parts for actors here accompany the dark satire that holds interest very well.

A startling exploration of cruelty and suspicion that sadly hasn't improved very much in some circles over the years. Cooper builds the tension effectively through this piece, and once the revelation is unfurled, our empathy takes another step forward. Pity that doesn't happen with Max, of course. That being said, it was indeed fascinating to watch an unrepentant character, and I commend Cooper for not softening his veneer. The piece had so much more impact because of that. Great theater here!

9/30/24: At first a funny romantic meeting, this turns incredibly poignant and moving by the end. Body "matters" (and other concerns) are going to manifest, and this play handles that deftly and sensitively. It's definitely thrilling to read/view these two characters connect in the way they do. One comes away feeling romantically fulfilled from the reading/viewing and with a little bit of hope, perhaps, for all of us who fumble through our intimate encounters. Engaging and enjoyable!

9/29/24: Absolutely loved this dark little gem. Was hooked from the description of the concept, and then the execution was just excellent. Loved the pitch-black comedic touches throughout the work. And, much like the "Seven Minutes in Heaven" that are being experienced, this thing MOVES, baby. (It's also provocative and sticks with you after you're done reading/viewing, which is always top-notch.) Can definitely see this being successful in the right kind of 10-minute festival, tonally speaking.

9/29/24: I always enjoy seeing what playwrights do with "one page" plays, and having read many of Tennant's other works, I can only imagine the challenge that she faced in condensing her usually brilliant historical prose into one single lonely page. With that being said, she does indeed put a lot into this one-page scene, and we're left with a particularly rich (if brief) historical portrait. An extremely well developed photograph of the era, shall we say. Excellent!

9/29/24: This was just great. I'm a fan of the original story, but I love what Vaughan has done with it here. The addition adds more depth to the inspiration, and that's definitely something. This would absolutely be tremendous for actors to put on for the right spooky 10-minute festival. Can't wait to see it performed at some point!

9/29/24: Great piece of "modern" mythology here with a good respect shown for the original "material" and yet some very funny "updates" that should keep a contemporary audience engaged. I enjoyed Perry being able to still capture pathos while at the same time not ignoring the bacchanal spirit that should rightfully inhabit the majority of this work. On its own, this will be a very entertaining one act to be part of such a festival, but any eventual continuation should be intriguing as well.