FARCE. ABSURDITY. EXISTENTIAL DILEMMAS. GUARANTEED.
Passing Wind
by Braddon Mendelson
Passing Wind is a comical farce that tears down not only the fourth wall but the fifth wall as well, devolving into screwball madness. Two brothers join a caravan of characters who find themselves entangled in a play within a play within a world their fictional minds can scarcely grasp. Upon revealing themselves all to be playwrights who have authored the same play, they soon discover their scripts — and everything surrounding them — are merely props.
An off-Broadway producer, an eccentric British couple, and a band of bumbling terrorists round out the mayhem. The group spirals into a battle over copyright ownership, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the actual playwright, who claims dominion over the entire theatrical debacle.
An absurdly farcical
practically improbable
fabulously ludicrous
morally ambiguous
scurrilously comical play.
World Premiere!
March 13-22, 2026 Newhall, California
Braddon Mendelson is a playwright whose work explores the friction between history, satire, and the beautifully absurd. Known for a signature blend of meticulous research and comedic invention, Braddon’s plays challenge audiences to find meaning in the complex intersections of our past and present.
Theatrical Works
Braddon is the author of the award-winning Rembrandt Perfected, which received the Best New Play award at the 2022 Long Beach Playhouse New Works Festival. He also directed the play’s 2023 world premiere in Santa Clarita, where the historical farce—reimagining the 1839 meeting between Samuel Morse and Louis Daguerre—played to sold-out houses and rave reviews.
His current and notable works as a playwright include:
• Passing Wind: A high-velocity, absurdist farce slated for its world premiere in March 2026. Originally drafted in the 1980s, the play underwent a complete “page-one” rewrite to bring its current vision to life.
• Resisted Living: A runner-up in the 2026 AACT Best New Play awards, this dark comedy explores the chaotic dynamics of elderly parents and their aging offspring as they navigate end-of-life planning, squandered fortunes, and familial dysfunction.
• Gallows Falls (Next Stage Press): A suspenseful ghost story set in the deep woods of Vermont.
• The WaterWay: A musical chronicling the rise of Los Angeles through the arrival of water in the early 20th century.
• The Riot Act: Braddon’s original live theatre sketch-comedy program.
• Minor Character.
Passing Wind is a comical farce that tears down not only the fourth wall but the fifth wall as well, devolving into screwball madness. Two brothers join a caravan of characters who find themselves entangled in a play within a play within a world their fictional minds can scarcely grasp. Upon revealing themselves all to be playwrights who have authored the same play, they soon discover their scripts — and everything surrounding them — are merely props.
An off-Broadway producer, an eccentric British couple, and a band of bumbling terrorists round out the mayhem. The group spirals into a battle over copyright ownership, only to be interrupted by the arrival of the actual playwright, who claims dominion over the entire theatrical debacle.
An absurdly farcical
practically improbable
fabulously ludicrous
morally ambiguous
scurrilously comical play.