I’ve never been so jealous of a title. Or a play. I’m always in search of that elusive two or three-hander with a single set. Simple. Real. Breathtaking. This is that play. Besides being struck by the depth of the characters, the richness of the plot, the conciseness of the dialogue, I am also taken with the minor stage directions. Throughout the script, the playwright inserts little directions like (With tremendous simplicity), (With a quiet fervor), (As delicately as possible), or (With enormous tenderness). We all know the cliche of “the first thing a director crosses out are the stage directions,” but these would not threaten a real director. In fact, they protect the playwright from overwriting, which is important in a play about larger than life ideas and loss of life realities. This is a quiet play. A hushed play. One that asks some of the most important questions an individual can ask of self, other, and God. And in a beautiful way, it does not offer a tidy answer. All three characters are searching for something they can neither find nor understand. But in the end, they found each other. And I am just so happy I found this play.
On THE BUSY WORLD IS HUSHED by Keith Bunin
Author: playwright Kelly YoungerOct 22