Small Mouth Sounds
by Bess Wohl

Name: Small Mouth Sounds
Brand: Bess Wohl
SKU: 9780822234012
Rating: 3.77 (14 reviews)

Off-Broadway

Small Mouth Sounds Book Cover — Small Mouth Sounds Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

90 mins Present Day Ensemble Cast Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes

Synopsis

In the overwhelming quiet of the woods, six runaways from city life embark on a silent retreat, run by an unseen teacher, or guru.

When the layers of their daily lives are shed, from their designer clothes to sexual proclivities, their despair is primal.

These strangers – partners Joan and Judy, former child actor Alicia, outdoors-hating Ned, gorgeous yoga teacher Rodney and Jan, a Pastor who hails from a small town in Finland and who has over-estimated his English language skills – must confront internal demons.

Both profound and absurd, their vows of silence collide with the achingly human need to connect.

Filled with awkward humor, this strange and compassionate play asks how we address life’s biggest questions when words fail us.

Press Reviews

"Wohl isn’t afraid to let the ridiculous rub up against the sublime, and it makes Small Mouth Sounds as entertaining as it is transcendent."
— Time Out New York

"As funny as it is, uh, quietly moving, Ms. Wohl’s play is also a model of ingenuity."
— The New York Times

"A minimalist piece of experimental theater that casts the audience as voyeurs in an entertaining adventure that gradually darkens into tragedy."
— Variety

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
Joan Late 40s, wears a lot of clothes and jewelry from India. She is a therapist and sex educator in colleges, high schools, and in private practice with couples.	female	40s	Late 40s, wears a lot of clothes and jewelry from India. She is a therapist and sex educator in colleges, high schools, and in private practice with couples.
Judy Maybe 50, is Joan’s partner. She works at O magazine as a top editor in the art department – a few times a year, she finds herself in the same room with Oprah. She’s the kind of person who only needs four hours of sleep per night. She gets a lot of email.	female	—	Maybe 50, is Joan’s partner. She works at O magazine as a top editor in the art department – a few times a year, she finds herself in the same room with Oprah. She’s the kind of person who only needs four hours of sleep per night. She gets a lot of email.
Alicia 30-ish, strawberry-blonde (sometimes more strawberry, sometimes more blonde) from Southern California. She is the kind of person who manages to make a lot of noise even when she’s “in silence.” She has zippers on her clothes and bag. She has wrappers that must be unwrapped. She has bracelets that jangle.	female	—	30-ish, strawberry-blonde (sometimes more strawberry, sometimes more blonde) from Southern California. She is the kind of person who manages to make a lot of noise even when she’s “in silence.” She has zippers on her clothes and bag. She has wrappers that must be unwrapped. She has bracelets that jangle.
Ned Somewhere in his 40s, has had a severe run of bad luck worse than the worst country-western song.	male	40s	Somewhere in his 40s, has had a severe run of bad luck worse than the worst country-western song.
Rodney Mid-30s, ageless, fit, gorgeous, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and teaches yoga in New York and the Hamptons (in the summer). He is married to a woman named Nadine who also teaches yoga. Rodney and Nadine have had articles about them in various local yoga magazines and are designing a line of vegan bags, wallets, and jewelry together.	female	30s	Mid-30s, ageless, fit, gorgeous, grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and teaches yoga in New York and the Hamptons (in the summer). He is married to a woman named Nadine who also teaches yoga. Rodney and Nadine have had articles about them in various local yoga magazines and are designing a line of vegan bags, wallets, and jewelry together.
Jan 50-ish, is from a small town in Finland. He misses his son. He is hoping maybe this retreat will have an answer for him, where more traditional religious experiences have failed. He also greatly overestimated his familiarity with the English language.	male	—	50-ish, is from a small town in Finland. He misses his son. He is hoping maybe this retreat will have an answer for him, where more traditional religious experiences have failed. He also greatly overestimated his familiarity with the English language.
Teacher Played by a disembodied, androgynous voice with a strange, slightly accented way of talking.	—	—	Played by a disembodied, androgynous voice with a strange, slightly accented way of talking.