In a ten-minute nutshell

Not having know much (if anything) about ten minute plays, and never really having given it much though before, these four scripts showed me a lot of the basics. They're all one scene, and one snapshot or moment in these people's lives.
Theme-wise, they seemed similar to the monologues... All of the "action" was centered on a main idea and turned around a single plot point (as there wasn't time for more). For that reason, they seemed a little like a monologue split into a dialogue.

The dialogue aspect of the ten minute plays also struck me. The first two I read ("A Bowl of Soup" and "That Midnight Rodeo") both obviously had two characters. I got to "The Man Who Couldn't Dance" and saw that there were three characters! However, very quickly I found out that Elizabeth is a week old baby. She, of course, has no lines and functions more of a prop. Thus, we still have two people in dialogue. I was surprised to find three characters in "The Roads That Lead Here." I liked the interaction between the three brothers, but their characters were not as developed as those in the dialogue plays. This one seemed more plot driven, while the others really focused on the characters. While I did like the dynamic, I thought the plot was a bit too forced. They didn't make as much sense. I expected it to be a surreal setting, involving an after world or modern Greek gods or something.

I thought that the characters were portrayed stronger in "That Midnight Rodeo" and "The Man Who Couldn't Dance." I liked those four characters and thought they were stronger than the sons in "The Roads..." However, "A Bowl of Soup" seemed a little forced at times. This would work for the situation, but it's difficult to read. It definitely needs too be performed and to see the younger brother's presence to fully appreciate it.