“Love is, or is not”. These words have become the slogan of True life Stories’ purpose and power in its open and honest discussion of love and all of its various forms and pitfalls.
“Love is something we all deal with, and we all have problems with. It becomes a question mark in people’s minds a lot”, said writer and director of the play Frank Condon when asked about what inspired him to write the play, “that’s why love is, or is not.”
A fusion of comedy and sobriety, the drama presents 5 real-life stories of love, interwoven together at times to present a more powerful piece of theatre intended to reveal to the audience what love is, and what it’s not.
The play opens with each character reminiscing on their first love and than moves into their first date, and even goes so far as to discuss their personal sexual encounters.
The stories take a dramatic turn however towards the end of the play diving deeper and deeper into the more horrific side of love. Each story sheds light upon the dangerous forms of love leaving no stone unturned, from stories of insanity to rape to suicide with each story revealing a moral lesson for the audience of acceptance, understanding, and what true love is.
“I was hoping to just spread the subject out so that I could find a number of
different colors of love I mean all different aspects”, said Frank Condon, “its mainly love, and as many elements and facets of love, and the opposite.”
Spencer Tregilgas, Kaila Prestridge and Russell Dow delivered unforgettable performances as they poured their heart and soul into their characters. Steve Coleman brought some much needed laughs to the performance, and Ken Chang who stepped in for Stephanie Khang was surprisingly convincing as a lesbian lover, though at times there seemed to be a disconnect between he and his character in part due to the fact that the story wasn’t his personal story.
Possibly the most powerful moment of the play came when the 27 year-old theatre arts major, Spencer Tregilgas, began quoting 1 Corinthians 13:4 as it was used to encourage and inspire the actors in their darkest and most desperate time of need.
It was at this time that the actors really shined each delivering stellar performances as they re-lived the most devastating and emotional times of their lives. As Spencer Tregilgas put it, “uncomfortability makes for good theatre”.
By allowing us into the personal lives of the actors the message of what love is and is not, is that much more powerful, and can impact the audience on a much more deeper and more intimate level than fiction ever could.