←Recommendations of Space Laser, In Space!

The best comedies make us laugh and think at the same time. And in SPACE LASER, IN SPACE by Jillian Blevins, we meet two characters who hilariously and earnestly wrestle with themes of faith, Judaism, and antisemitism while confronting each other and themselves about their own sense of identity. The high stakes throughout juxtaposes beautifully with the absurdity of the situation itself based on antisemitic conspiracy theories and tropes, making a play that's not only wildly entertaining but also incredibly poignant.

Jillian Blevins could have written a hilarious Jewish Space Laser sketch and left it at that, but her brain and heart have a lot more to say. Here she takes one of the stupidest anti-Semitic conspiracy theories of recent times and spins it into workplace-comedy gold...and then takes it a step further, shifting slyly into a deeply serious -- even Talmudic -- debate on the nature of Jewish identity, obligation, and history, before hurtling toward a rivetingly intense conclusion. Excellently executed, all around.

Blevins, in an incredibly engaging way, brilliantly highlights the complexities and challenges that are intertwined with identity. Tension, suspense, introspection, immersive dialogue - I'm enamored by the way this piece is designed to stay with you. Oh, how I'd love to see a live version of this one!

Wow! Come for the laughs, stay for the nail-biting examination of one's responsibility to oneself, one's religion, and one's culture. Any comedy that can serve up humor with this much food for thought is well worth your time. And that ending? Oh Mama, talk about a cliff hanger. I'd love to see an audience react to this one, if only for the post-show musings over what they THINK the characters did at ...1.
Jill Blevins certainly gives you a lot of bang for your buck.

What starts out as a witty satire on a new variation on a tired anti-Semitic trope, deepens into a serious meditation on issues of cultural identity, moral imperatives, and personal responsibility. The unresolved ending will certainly promote vigorous post-show discussions.

Funny, thoughtful, and beautifully paced. An age-old theme ripped from the headlines and propelled to the space age. Will prompt much post-show discussion.

Very funny play that is also Talmudic. Blevins creates complex characters who have a legitimate conflict that is as deep as it is absurd but hits on real issues of identity and morality. Would be a great addition to any festival of shorts! Something to talk about afterwards, to infinity and beyond!

Blevins has miraculously taken one of the dumbest antisemitic comments ever and turned it into a sharp, funny play about identity, expectation, and the purity and practicality of one’s motives. It holds people accountable for the actions they commit not only on their own behalf but at the behest of nations. It asks important questions, starting with “if Jews had space lasers, how indiscriminately should they be used against antisemites?” I’m all for zapping fascists, but this play makes you work when responding to moral hypotheticals. The characters are also people not positions, which enhances the overall humanity.

I love this short. It takes a ridiculous, antisemitic conspiracy theory and turns it into a play that is funny, philosophical, and dramatic all at once. It’s so rich for only ten minutes, and the ending is perfect. This is one I’ll be thinking about for a while.

How good is this play? So good that it convinced me Jewish Space Lasers, though not real, are necessary.

Jillian Blevins has written a sharp, funny and thought-provoking satire that skewers bigotry without downplaying the real harm that it can do. That's a fine line and she balances it perfectly.