By Dave
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P03qjE7QShw
Available until: Unknown
We’ve kind of been putting off watching the last Compacts play. Once you’ve watched the last one, it’s over. It’s silly really. But it’s such a great series with an unbelievable range of stories, characters and ideas so it's been good having one more to look forward to. But Rick Allden's been waiting long enough!
By Emma
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myH90nb91NA
Available until: Unknown
Content warning: Contains themes of suicide
Cowboy Breakfast is really sad. It’s not all sad because the main character is really amazing but it made me think about my own life and the people in it. This play is creative, clever and fictional but it’s not just a story. It’s about real life.
By Dave
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvHKxqumZh0
Available until: Unknown
Warning: Contains themes of suicide
I actually didn’t read the warning before I watched this
play. I just clicked on the video and watched. Just watching this with no ideas
or expectations of what might happen was a really powerful experience but
because of the seriousness of the themes, I can’t really advise people to do
the same thing.
By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9tFeve8o2Y
Available until: Unknown
Here’s another brilliant play by Rick
Allden. All his characters are very different, but he gets right into their
heads and tells their stories in their words so well.
By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6GkWakYzRg
Available until: Unknown
Rick Allden is an incredible writer.
It’s not just that he writes these plays well, he takes on such a wide range of
characters and situations and turns them into a complete story that makes you
think with characters you care about. This story is about an agony aunt and
that’s not something that’s ever been part of my life. If I have a problem and
I want to talk to someone outside the family, I’d rather go on a forum and talk
to other people who have been through something similar. Pinning my hopes on
one specific person who might not know anything about the subject sounds a bit
like a stab in the dark.
By Dave
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt7-7RvQgSs
Available until: Unknown
Everyone says it’s wrong to judge
people, that you should keep your minds open, that you shouldn’t assume. But
that’s easier said than done.
With a play you’ve got a natural
interest in what happens next and that’s fine as long as the story is good
enough to hold most of your attention.
By Emma
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d08c-eKC35A
Available until: Unknown
Warning: themes of abuse and violence
I don’t think I really know how to say how good this is.
It’s really powerful. It’s only eleven minutes long but it has the emotional
effect of a much longer play. It’s by Rick Allden and he never wastes a word,
every single word he’s written is all part of the story he’s telling.
Everything is relevant to the story but in a way that lets you get to know the
character.
By Louise
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7E5Dyaopog
Available until: Unknown
I really like Rick Allden’s Compacts plays. It’s hard to
believe they’re so short because there is so much in each play. The ones I’ve
watched have all had a lot of sadness in them, but they’re happy plays too
because they have so much love in them and that makes me feel there is hope for
the characters.
By Cal
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j2PsiTpOmo
Available until: Unknown
Some plays take a while to get into and that’s okay because
it’s worth a bit of time and effort. But when it comes to a short play, you
really need to grab your audience from the start because the play will be over
before you know it. You can’t take thirteen minutes to get into a play when
it’s only thirteen minutes long.
By Dave
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM0y_T-Bet8&feature=youtu.be
Available until: Unknown
This is a really sad play but it’s so good. It’s a
conversation between a father and his son. The mum has decided to leave the dad
and take their little boy with her. It doesn’t say why or what’s happened, but
the implication is they’re leaving for good and the dad won’t have access. It’s
likely to be a very long time before they meet again.
