From the despair of aninut, even in a short shiva, the ice inside you is thawing, Mordecai, it will open you to the world if you let it. After, shloshim. After a year, yizkor, yarhrzeit. And yes, sorrow, but also hope, hope in those who'll welcome you, love you. Let them love you. Don't neglect God now that you need him.

In Judaism you have seven days to mourn a loved one, unless interrupted by a high holy day. Sadie died yesterday, Yom Kippur is tomorrow, so Mordecai only has tonight to say goodbye to his wife. Exploring themes of identity, love and faith, Shiver is a comic play about grief and Judaism.

With moments of farce, as well as a touch of the surreal, this is a skilfully written play that marks the start of an exciting playwriting career for Daniel Kanaber.

Shiver received its world premiere at Watford Palace Theatre on 3 February 2014, starring David Horovitch (Hysteria, Hampstead Theatre; Grief, National Theatre; Seven Jewish Children, Royal Court).

Daniel Kanaber studied at Manchester University and Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, before writing on invitation groups for the BBC, Royal Court, Soho Theatre and Paines Plough. Since then his work has toured England and been performed in festivals across France, Croatia and America. He was selected by Offwestend.com as one of 2010's the most promising playwrights and his short film Strays, which was longlisted for a BAFTA, is now being developed into a feature film. Shiver is his first full-length play to be professionally produced.