The ordinary, daily drama of being in a relationship is the subject of short Canadian production,
This competent production provides a sweet new twist on a familiar subject: love, marriage and the ups and downs of a life-long relationship.
After his wife’s funeral, a man (Ray Boulay) returns home to look for a necklace amongst her possessions. Instead, he finds a box full of post-its, each lovingly preserved by his wife (Alexandra Wilson), from the note he left on the pillow after the first time they slept together to shopping lists, to things of greater emotional significance. Husband and wife read them out to each other and the audience, and we witness the well-known experiences of a shared life: meeting parents, moving in, having children, mid-life crises and so on.
The premise is cute and the performances charming. Boulay and Wilson clutch little piles of square notepaper, which they read from and then discard. Clear physical cues from both actors assist the audience in understanding the passage of time as the two characters grow older. The production has been clearly and simply directed by Paul Kloegman in an intimate space, which is appropriate for the intimate story being told.
The script is at its most interesting when it is being subtle. Things like shopping lists give us an insight into the characters in an intriguing, roundabout way and the way these lists change over the course of time offers interesting information for the attentive audience member. However, the notes often become overwritten and overwrought in an attempt to fill out the story. It then becomes difficult to believe in the basic premise of the show – that these two characters are having most of their important conversations on post-it notes left around the house.
Overall, however, this competent production provides a sweet new twist on a familiar subject: love, marriage and the ups and downs of a life-long relationship.
