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Matthew Weaver

Recommended by Matthew Weaver

  • The Sentience Test by Emily Hageman
    27 Sep. 2018
    “ Don't be lulled by Hageman's sweeter plays. She has an uncanny knack for writing deeply disturbing material as the same time that can so unnerve an audience - not just because her creepy good plays are CREEPY GOOD plays, but because she asks us hard questions about ourselves. (One of her many gifts.) Here, she casts an audience in the role of a caste of bots marked for elimination if they show emotion - a stunning display of craft that breaks down the barrier between play and viewer. Infinitely clever and bold as hell. ”
  • The Heroes in This Story by Emily Hageman
    25 Sep. 2018
    “ Hageman takes a sobering look at society's response to those who perform a heroic deed in the midst of unspeakable, unconscionable circumstances, and our tendency to try to make them into heroes, after we have already burdened them in our failure to act on their behalf. She uses her piercing, discerning eye and bids us to turn a similar inward gaze; the answers are unsettling. Her title is a challenge: Who are the heroes in this story? Why do we ask it of our children and not ourselves? A better advocate for youth you will not find. Starkly powerful. ”
  • Fairy Tale Career Aptitude Test by Emily Hageman
    18 Sep. 2018
    “ Hageman takes beloved fairy tale characters and turns our knowledge of them inside out, often with ironic foreshadowing. (And, she gives us the gift that is Bob.) If you have a big group of younger performers and you're looking for a play that's raucous and family-friendly all in the same breath, Hageman should be your go-to playwright. Families will laugh, but best of all, the kids will take her words and more than make them their own and pour their hearts and souls into these characters. Warm, hilarious and dangerous to be drinking something while you read/watch the play. ”
  • Teenage Oysters by Emily Hageman
    17 Sep. 2018
    “ Hageman breaks all the rules with this quirky, macabre offering, and the world is better for it.All of her strengths are on display here, but twisted into something dark and joyous all at once. As good as every single offering of hers on NPX is, it's thrilling to see her write without a net, offering a dark and fun tale that's weird just for the sheer pleasure of it. Would provide a moment of sinful pleasure, and pure WTFery to any festival. Find the anarchists/artists in your troupe, give them these pages and turn them loose to play. ”
  • (60-MINUTE DRAMEDY:) Enter, Pursued by a Whale by Irene L. Pynn
    16 Sep. 2018
    “ Irresistible! I'm already a Pynn fan, and this is an excellent addition to her oeuvre. Absurdism at its best. "Any other stories about whales?" "I feel like we're missing an obvious one." A fun wink at literary-minded audiences. This would be a fascinating thing to watch unfold on stage; I was enthralled as I read it on the page. And then things get even stranger, and more fun and chilling. Reminds me - and I mean this very much as a compliment - of the works of Donald Antrim, particularly THE VERIFICATIONIST. Bold and weird and a sheer pleasure. ”
  • Avocado Toast by Ken Levine
    16 Sep. 2018
    “ Searing social commentary with a delightful premise AND a fun delivery. Levine gamely breaks the fourth wall in a completely fresh and invigorating way. Two strong performers (and an audience) are sure to have a blast with this work, which leaves no suspect food trend unscorched - and that's coming from someone who enjoys charcoal in his coffee. Sherry is fun, but we all are or have been Bill at some point in our lives. Levine ably shows off all of his strengths: Quick-witted people who love each other, bickering before a live audience. A sharp, tart, zesty delight. ”
  • Green Grass by Emily Hageman
    16 Sep. 2018
    “ Destined to be a conversation starter at festivals. Hageman doesn't offer easy answers with this no-holds-barred look at a relationship between two flawed characters, not bothering to present either of them in their best light. In doing so, she presents an honest, unflinching work at two deeply flawed people. Jason only wants Dani when he can't have her; Dani would be so much better off without Jason but can't seem to resist him. What happens to them both? That's not up to Hageman; it's up to the audience to discuss long after the show is over. This play is important. ”
  • 28 Light Years From Now by Rachel Bykowski
    13 Sep. 2018
    “ *happy, delighted squeal* What a lovely, charming, lovely - I know I said it twice - play. Bykowski has written an irresistible love story (several times over) that breaks your heart (several times over) with complicated, flawed, wonderfully strong characters. Literally, every character here is a force to be reckoned with, in the best possible way. Expect to see this one produced in a lot of festivals, and expect a lot of teary eyes from the audience. To a T, each of Bykowski's lovely characters lays their hearts bare. One of the best plays NPX has to offer. A gem. ”
  • Hickory Dickory by Sandra Hosking
    13 Sep. 2018
    “ A grieving father races against time to recover his son, and finds a very different journey, learning more about the people around him and himself. Hosking takes us on a time-traveling adventure that's really the exploration of the fears of being a parent: Of failing, of loss, of not being fully present for the things that are happening as they happen. Wry, subtle humor laced with heartbreak keep the audience invested in Sam, Marie and Brad's stories, from young to old. A compelling, intricate, delightful story. A good mix of drama and sci-fi, told with Hosking's unique blend of storytelling. ”
  • Salat al-Janazah by Diana Burbano
    13 Sep. 2018
    “ "America is a myth." Burbano puts all of her power, her empathy, her RAGE, into this monologue, a Pakistani college student sends out a mournful wail/call to arms in memory of a cousin killed by gun violence in a school shooting. By terrorism. "What else is it? What other name is possible?" Burbano's Mourner asks us. The Mourner is all of us, pleading with the audience for change. Burbano is one of the best playwrights around, and this two-page, eight-minute monologue is just another example of her uncanny ability to give grief a voice. ”

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