Bethany: A Play

by Laura Marks

At the height of the foreclosure crisis, single mother Crystal loses more than her house. She struggles to stay positive, though—with plenty of help from a roommate with conspiracy theories, a motivational speaker with a secret, and her colleagues at the local Saturn dealership. But optimism is no match for a bad economy, and before long Crystal’s desperate quest to regain what she’s lost turns into the fight of her life. This darkly comic thriller explores just how far we’ll go to get back what’s ours.

Genres: Plays, Drama

88 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2013

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise and characters, but it seemed a bit thin, and the climax really came out of nowhere.

[Jake Van Hoorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rarely think a play could be longer but this is one that would have been better with a few more scenes. All of these characters were tragically fascinating and I wanted to see their relationships develop more before the climax

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has real potential but is a bit underdeveloped.

[Diana Frankhauser · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spotlight on a harsh economic climate and the lengths we go to 'make it work'.

Not the most probing piece ever, but the power dynamics between characters is fascinating.

[Armen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit undercooked but still captivating. Had some unique characters and moments.

[Gianna Mosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate the themes at stake in this work: desperation, the transactional nature of relationships, the devastating arch of capitalism and its insecurities. But I think there was room for more dramatic execution of those themes. It felt a bit limited.

[Algernon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent play with the foreclosure crisis as an historical backdrop, which could be presented as a witty thriller but for me it stands as a drama set in a ruthless economy in decline, and how it affects human relationships.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrifying, authentic, and unbelievably possible.

[Ben Howley · Rating 1 out of 5]

abhored it