6 / 10
Hold Me in the Water showcases Haddad’s talents in ways that show off his wit and personality. He’s a real catch, and I hope he finds his true love someday. It’s also a rather slight story about an all-too-brief romance. I also hope that in his future work he again finds ways to look beyond his heartbreak and even his own experience.
8 / 10
Hold Me in the Water is romantic, touching and funny, and as the commitment-level conflicts in the relationship arise, we feel genuine concern. Near the end, Haddad poses to the audience some questions that, in their pointedness and provocativeness, amount to something of a coup de théâtre. Essentially, in many permutations, he asks: Could you love a disabled person? And for many the answer will be, yes, I could, if they were as cute and charming as Ryan J. Haddad. That's admittedly a tall order.
Hold Me in the Water, written and performed by Ryan J. Haddad and directed by Danny Sharron, just celebrated opening night at Playwrights Horizons. Let's see what the critics are saying about the new play...
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Solo Performance | Ryan J. Haddad |
| 2025 | Drama League Awards | DISTINGUISHED PERFORMANCE | Ryan J. Haddad |
