Laurie Ray Hill’s How to Get Rescued is a two-act play about self-discovery, emotional healing, and the search for connection, set on a surreal desert island.
After a shipwreck, Jamieson, a sailor haunted by his mother’s abandonment, finds himself stranded. He rescues Mrs. Simcoe, a fellow survivor, and the two form a bond as they confront their pasts—Jamieson’s toxic relationships and Mrs. Simcoe’s estranged father and absent husband.
Their growing connection is disrupted by Nancy, a wild woman who has lived on the island for years. Jamieson becomes entangled with Nancy, only to discover she is his long-lost mother. This revelation forces him to confront his lifelong search for maternal love. When a rescue ship arrives, Nancy eagerly departs, but Jamieson and Mrs. Simcoe choose to stay behind, realizing their true rescue lies in breaking free from their pasts and embracing their newfound emotional freedom together.
Keywords: shipwreck, desert island, castaways, parents, love triangle
Finalist, Theatre BC National Playwriting Competition, under prior title Wrack & Rescue
Genre: Comedic Drama
Acts: 2
Run time: 120 minutes
Cast size: 3 actors
Male roles: 1
Female roles: 2
Casting breakdown:
JAMIESON is 22.
MRS. SIMCOE is also young.
NANCY is old enough to be JAMIESON's mother.