Small Mouth Sounds: A Play: Off-Broadway Edition

by Bess Wohl

In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat. As these strangers confront internal demons both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect. Filled with awkward and insightful humor, Bess Wohl’s beguiling and compassionate new play brilliantly captures the unique eloquence of a silent retreat and asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.


A major hit of the 2015-16 Off Broadway season with two sold out, extended runs, Small Mouth Sounds is “wry and observant . . . long on emotions and short on words” (Daily News).

Genres: Plays, Theatre

80 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2019

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a ride. I had heard (GET IT) that this play is mostly non-dialogue and I was surprised how much dialogue there is (although mostly from The Teacher who is always offstage).

It was a lot of fun to read and ponder how the hell I would act or direct this complicated dance of naturalistic acting and hoping the audience gets what is going on. It's a quick read but I feel it may become tiresome if I was watching it. Deserves a second read to try and get between the layers but Bess Wohl has created something unique.

[Alex Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

the bear and sex sounds reach a climax

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the…?

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when you think to yourself, "Hey, this could be a neat little piece of non-traditional theatre to explore with my high schoolers!" you read the phrase "The sex and bear sounds reach a climax" and you're like...damn.

I actually really, really liked this script and would love to see it staged somewhere. The story, such as it is, revolves around a group of people who take a vow of silence at a remote spiritual retreat in the woods. Each character is searching for something--and I mean "searching" in the most non-literal, existential way possible. (There's a fairly hefty set of character descriptions that precede the play itself, which is interesting because it's not information to which the audience is privy--it's meant for the actors to use as backstory to enrich their performance. I wonder how that plays out to a non-reader, viewer only.) The most prolific voice is that of the unseen guru/teacher leading the retreat, who, it becomes clear, is also looking for something. The teacher talks...a lot...but the rest of the characters are left to more or less experience the retreat in silence, which makes for a unique reading experience (and what I would assume to be a unique viewing experience as well.)

Yeah, I dug it. Just not sure this is producible at the high school level.

[Evie Dittmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very unique! A super interesting concept, that was very engaging to read. Especially with the character descriptions at the beginning, I was having so much fun piecing plot lines together. However, (and perhaps this is just wistful thinking as a person with misophonia, who is deeply bothered by ‘small mouth sounds’), I do feel this is better read then watched. The characters are also not quite as interesting as I’d hoped — they are interesting, but in ways that are quite typical of a lot of contemporary plays. There were a lot of character interactions that could have been really interesting, that I’m sad we didn’t get to see. I feel like there was a lot of lost potential in this piece. Overall, I did really enjoy Wohl’s writing, even if this play wasn’t necessarily my favorite.

[Lena Janes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an actor I think this play has incredibly rich characters and as it is mostly action and not dialogue heavy, I would really enjoy getting to work on this text. I think the setting is strong but could have provided more in terms of circumstances for the characters. I feel like this is more a slice of life play than one with any true revelations. There is a lot unanswered at the end, which left me a bit unsatisfied and like there was more that could have been discovered.

[aud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!! This is the second play I've had to read for my playwriting class, and I have not been disappointed. also yay hit my reading goal for the year with this one!!!

[Alex Chapes · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5⭐️

[Will Schmitt]

Excited to work on this in a few months!!

[Anna Seibert · Rating 3 out of 5]

certainly giving 26 pebble vibes. I love when GHS does a serious play. I cannot wait to watch

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an interesting play requiring the audience to pay close attention...and make their own inferences/interpretations of what exactly is going on. There's a story with people involved, and there's a plot that continues moving forward; but what is at the heart of the story is often told in silence and in movement. Each character is different, trying to find answers to their "intentions" in coming to the silent retreat where the heart of this place takes place. In these moments of...well, supposed-to-be silent moments, we see each character breaking down and transforming in front of us.

A solid play, and as an actor, feels like a demanding show. Definitely intriguing to read and imagine.

[April Helms · Rating 4 out of 5]

A newer play with a cast of seven, including one character we never see, but whose voice can be heard. It takes place at a retreat, where the six characters try to seek enlightenment from their teacher. The six students aren't supposed to talk, so must resort to silent communication, with more or less success. They have each come to try to shed their personal baggage, but it's arguable whether they succeed. Even the teacher can't retain her cool. The script was highly readable and easy to follow. I'd like to see this staged, there's a good mix of comedy and some pathos.

[Vint H · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a book it’s not that good but I know that the play will be great! Once the emotions get better shown then just written the story will really pop

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

My three star review is for the written text of "Small Mouth Sounds" since I have only read it and not seen it performed on stage. I have seen Wohl's new play "Liberation" both off-Broadway and on Broadway, and it is one of the best plays I have seen her in years. Intensely moving and beautifully theatrical, Wohl's "Liberation" is a memory play about a woman remembering her second wave feminist mother and both the successes and failures of the movement. If you have a chance to see it, run to the theater now. I also saw the gloriously funny "Grand Horizons" on Broadway (with Jane Alexander, one of the best stage actresses I have ever seen) and the less successful "Camp Siegfried" off-Broadway.

Moving on to "Small Mouth Sounds," I decided to read it since I have loved some of Wohl's work and a trusted colleague recommended it after teaching it. Much of the play is non-verbal, so what works on stage as manipulated by the director and the actors doesn't always come off on the page. The story concerns a group of people who go on a spiritual retreat. The stage directions indicate they are all in some kind of "agony." Over the course of their week, they find surprising connections with others that may or may not have lasting impact on them.

Judy and Joan are a couple. Judy has cancer, and is desperately afraid of Joan leaving her. Alicia, an actress, is getting over a relationship with off-stage Fred, and her attempts to use her cell phone, which the leader says is verboten, probably provide some of the comedy of the show. Jan, a Finn, has lost a son and doesn't understand English as well as he thinks. Of course, his lack of communication skills also symbolizes the difficulty of the others to connect in different ways too. Rodney, a yoga instructor, is a dog who regularly cheats on his wife and targets Alicia. Finally, there's Ned whose back story rivals Job in the Bible.

The tone of the piece is sometimes mystifying. Is it satirical? Sincere? Both? I think this wide divergence of attitudes must mesh better in performance, but at times reading it, I found the tone confounding and frankly annoying. Clearly the people involved are looking for some answers, but the answers provided are so cliche that it is difficult to take seriously. But I suspect that what emerges on stage through the play's use of silence is more beautiful and profound. I hope to see the play some day, perhaps the biggest compliment one can give when reading a play.

[Madeline Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall not a terrible play for so little dialogue. I was taught that dialogue is the driving force of theatre and this piece does pretty well without it. It even earns huge amounts of comedic relief and freedom in direction the play can be take. However, I believe the story is lost in its silence. So much context of the character’s essence is not at all revealed to the audience. It left me unfulfilled knowing that so much of the specifics of their character arcs were rarely addressed verbal. There weren’t even confirmed nonverbally all that well. The play is also too short to offer any really satisfying sort of resolution for any person in the audience or play.

[Cady Wang · Rating 3 out of 5]

I watched a production of this play with student-actors on sunday. did I fall asleep? yes. quite a few times actually. did I understand what was going on? no. until! my theater class talked about it, and I realized that actually yes there is quite a lot of meaning. it is in the subtleties and nuances where meaning lies. I suppose that's the point of movement and silence vs. dialogue. I still dislike the dialogue, especially by the narrator of the silent retreat. that being said, I imagine this would be quite the fun play for actors to naw their teeth in due to the freedom to imagine.

[Amanda Samuelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the descriptions Wohl provides for the characters off the top, given that an audience will never know the majority of that information because the play contains very little dialogue. Shows how much can be said without words. The whole concept of the play is really exciting and I hope to see it someday so I can get the full experience!

[Arianna Schrage · Rating 4 out of 5]

"if you are full of regret or hope or desire. if you are homesick. if you miss your mother or father. if you are in pain, in your hip, or your back, or your heart, or your bones. you are not alone. and if after all of this after accepting and sitting with this, you still feel alone? well i’m sorry but you are not alone."

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An innovative, beautiful gut-punch of a play by one of the hottest playwrights around.

[Zachary Pareizs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characterization, the humor, and the silence in this play!

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Play discussion group script #52)

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great idea, love the character sketches… but the execution is disappointingly slight.

[Chris McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A difficult play that all determines on the acting. Interesting dramaturgy since the play is performed almost in silence.

[Anna Kefalas · Rating 5 out of 5]

quietly one of the most beautiful plays I've ever read

[AJ (the.booknerd.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

really excited about this

[lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Mathilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

ngl the frog analogy made me reconsider things
funny, cute, short, spiritual <3

[Sydknee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually so fun and meaningful! Love the character description at the head and how it unfolds onstage.

[Xuan Kusek · Rating 4 out of 5]

So incredibly sweet. Human connection + moments. Also the concept of a no-dialogue play in itself is an accomplishment. Fuck ye.

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ocean.