Every Story Is a Love Story
Created by Joy Mwandemange and Mathieu Charlebois
Produced by Lost Baggage Musical Theatre (Ottawa, Canada)
Content Notes: Described Performance, Matural Language, Sexual Content, Sensory Friendly, Audience Participation
By Nicole Deschenes
We were both young when I first saw you. I close my eyes and the flashback starts… ~ Taylor Swift
Who hasn’t ever gone down memory lane and marveled at what was, or could have been, and what came to be? Every Story is a Love Story captures the nostalgia and bittersweet reflection that accompanies revisiting past relationships. With heartfelt sincerity, the talents of Joy Mwandemange and Mathieu Charlebois convert their–and our–life experiences into art through music and song. Their original songs run the emotional gamut through joy and sorrow, confusion and anger, and punctuated with some clever lyrics such as “like a swimming pool filled with regret.”
Having previously collaborated on artistic endeavors, the duo naturally embody their roles as friends reminiscing about times gone by. Like flies on the wall, the audience bears witness to their on-stage chemistry that makes their interactions feel genuine and caring. As the friends explore the remnants of the past through souvenirs discovered in forgotten boxes, the voyeuristic audience members “direct” the play by quietly selecting the next scene using individual two-sided paddles at specific turning points in the performance.
Kudos to our audience volunteer who unobtrusively and efficiently tallied up the “votes” to declare the choice of the majority with the performers continuing in the chosen direction without missing a beat {insert drum sting “ba dum tss”}. With a half dozen forks in the play’s road, the mathematician in me calculated 64 possible iterations of the play which means that repeated showings could make you reminisce about Foreigner’s 1977 debut single because it feels like the first time, like it never did before.
Just like she did in the production of Memphis at the Centrepointe Theatre earlier this year, Joy Mwandemange impresses with her strong voice and emotive performance – varying from soft and soulful to bold and rich, her voice fills the room, carrying the weight of past memories and self-discovery. Mathieu Charlebois accompanies her on the keyboard, while also sharing his own vocal prowess with a bass voice that belies his gentle demeanor.
Some wisdom from Mathieu’s character to leave you with: “My old man told me that you can’t get to second base if you don’t let go of first. Sometimes you just have to take a risk.”
Every Story Is a Love Story is playing at BYOV-Atelier until June 25, 2023. Visit ottawafringe.com/fringe/ for the schedule and box office info. Read more reviews at https://apt613.ca/category/festival/fringe/.
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