Should I Write In An Intermission?
Must I? Can I? Why would I? Why Wouldn't I?
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writing confessions, and all the mess in between.
Short answer?
You can write one. But it may not be your decision if it stays.
Let’s be real: whether or not there’s an intermission is rarely up to the playwright. The director might cut it. The producer might hate it. The venue might be chasing you out fast. So if you’re writing an intermission, don’t treat it like it’s sacred. Treat it like a suggestion.
But if you are considering one, ask yourself:
Why now? What’s it for?
Is it to mark a big time jump?
A shift in location?
A tonal reroute?
Or do you just feel like your audience needs to breathe because what just happened was toooo damnn muchhh.
(And honestly, if your first act ends in emotional chaos, a breather might be a gift.)
So... why bother writing one at all?
Sometimes, that 15-minute pause does a lot of work.
It gives your audience space to reflect.
To chat. To theorise. To feel.
Sometimes, that’s the moment when they whisper to their friend, “Wait, do you think she’s actually dead?”
And just like that, they’re invested.
You’ve made them part of the story.
Sure, some audiences will leave at intermission. That’s life. But they paid for the ticket anyway, so kthanksbye!
But the ones who stay? They return to Act Two with their own theories, expectations, and emotional stakes. And why? Because you gave them time to process.
And yes, sometimes it's practical, too.
Maybe your first act is super long? Maybe it’s like a puzzle? Maybe it’s an avalanche of words?
Or maybe your audience just needs a toilet break or just a brain break?
Don’t underestimate the value of a strategic pause.
Final thought:
You can write in an intermission. But you should think about what you want the purpose of the intermission to be, as a playwright.
But again, don’t be precious about it.
Because once production begins, it’s no longer yours.
What is your take on intermissions? Love it? Hate it? Not your problem?