Turtle Tears (Two-Act Play)

I love when I read something that leaves me reeling inside, and this piece has left me stunned. J. Suthern Hicks’ characters live brightly on the page from the moment they are introduced, as does their off-the-main-road niche of modern life. His exposition of his protagonists and the villainy they will face is careful and brilliant. The picture he paints is instantly vivid, and the timing of the stage directions is so perfectly matched to the stage business that the play is readily imaginable. Hicks’ portrayal of the tiny, quiet lives of his characters is brilliant, but the story is more than that. His weaving of the defining moments of his characters’ lives expands to reveal deeper human realities-some sad, some hopeful-which are timeless. This is one of those plays from which the characters will stay with the patrons long after the initial viewing. Further enjoyable is Hicks’ proven razor-sharp ability to turn a phrase. The language is clever and on point. I would love to see this play go to film; this play completely feels like an indie film that would capture moviegoers’ imaginations and go further to wider release and success.