A Love Offering - Jonathan Norton

  “Jonathan Norton holds nothing back in his latest script, which is typical…
   Pulling from his own childhood experiences and memories of his mother’s job as an aide in a nursing home, the plot collects from a multitude of dark corners of the human experience—from racism and the systemic obstacles that seem to perpetuate the disparate disenfranchisement of black people, to elder abuse and the horrifying ravages of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.…
   Themes of loyalty, dignity, responsibility, and self-preservation color the center of this plot, while flanking on either side are the unnervingly subtle (and then suddenly not so subtle) forces of white fragility and white guilt driving the dramatic energy forward, and therein lies the brilliance of Norton’s script. Its honest portrayal of how our perceptions and assumptions of one another can make or break any situation is sobering to say the least. And, peppered with moments of effortless hilarity and sheer, painful awkwardness, the 90-minute play needs no intermission as the pace scarcely lags for even an instant.
   …The twists and surprises in the plot are fascinating to watch.
   Moreover, the uncomfortable truths elicited here are laid bare with sensitivity and marked poignancy, in a manner that is seldom seen. A love offering is a tale of the most crucial kind today—an address to our differences that does not simply insist upon itself, but rather relies on the artistic and social maturity of its audience to handle the weight of its message in productive and meaningful ways.”
Richard Oliver, TheaterJones

   “…how do you describe a fast moving 90-minute play that feels like a beautiful epic poem?
   I don’t use that term lightly, but it’s rare to find a playwright that can create characters that have a past, a present and a future as well…
   This is one of those plays that in a seemingly simple setup bring out a tremendous depth of story, art and character development. It is a poem that we feel like we have heard somewhere before, but want to hear another stanza and then another after that.…”
Brian Wilson, Katy Trail Weekly

   “…the brilliance of Norton’s play…”
Christopher Soden, Sharp Critic