January love

Happy New Year, friend. I hope you're keeping warm with stews and wool socks.

I have been working on my newest play, This Is It, on and off for the last two years. It stemmed from my desire to look closely at romantic love and the twists and turns of a relationship.

This investigation along with a conversation with a friend in which he spoke of the particularities of a man’s longing to have children, are at the root of the play.

In This Is It, I have been experimenting with how theme emerges from action. In a play about betrayal, perhaps betrayal happens when one character loses another’s trust, but it is through actions such as how they stop touching their lover’s face, that this theme comes to life.

Rhythm is of great significance in this story. This can be felt in both the “micro” and the “macro” of the script. By this I mean, the “micro” rhythm of each character, both internally in regards to their specific motors and intentions, and externally in how they express themselves through language and body. The “macro” rhythm is the “music” of the dialogue on the whole – the words, the silences, the crescendos and the staccatos.

This Is It is a quirky and personal look at intimacy, secrets, love and commitment. How can two people evolve, separately and together? How can they navigate the rough waters of intimacy? Can a crossword puzzle help? Follow Eve and Kostas’ search for grace as a revelation of what lies at the heart of their marriage threatens to either bond or destroy them.

The remarkable team that has come together to bring This Is It to life surprises and delights me every day. The immense talent and deep understanding of the subject matter brings dimension to a story that existed only in my imagination for so long. It is deeply rewarding to collaborate with artists that bring wild, colorful imaginations and huge fierce hearts.

I hope that you'll join us at the upcoming production of This Is It, January 15-25, 2014 at lemonTree {studio},196 Spadina Ave.

For tickets and more information please visit www.bloodprojects.com

Photographs by LV Imagery.