The Nether: A Play

Jennifer Haley

Nov 2014 · Northwestern University Press

About this ebook

The Nether, a daring examination of moral responsibility in virtual worlds, opens with a familiar interrogation scene given a technological twist. As Detective Morris, an online investigator, questions Mr. Sims about his activities in a role-playing realm so realistic it could be life, she finds herself on slippery ethical ground. Sims argues for the freedom to explore even the most deviant corners of our imagination. Morris holds that we cannot flesh out our malign fantasies without consequence. Their clash of wills leads to a consequence neither could have imagined. Suspenseful, ingeniously constructed, and fiercely intelligent, Haley’s play forces us to confront deeply disturbing questions about the boundaries of reality.

Ratings and reviews

This is a dark play that makes you think about looming, uncomfortable issues. It is very well written, but don't pick it up unless you want to tackle disturbing issues.

It's ight. The production notes at the end were where it's at. 👍

About the author

Jennifer Haley won the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize for The Nether. The play’s premiere by the Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Los Angeles won seven 2013 Ovation Awards, including Playwriting. Her other plays include Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom and Breadcrumbs. Her work has been developed at the Sundance Theatre Lab, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwrights Conference, and Lark Play Development Center. She is a member of New Dramatists.