Mandurah based All the Ways Theatre Co. have produced a show about love which was very well received in the Biology Room at The Girls School on Thursday night.

Love was interpreted very widely - platonic, romantic, family, friends, inanimate and so on, and given expression through little scenes acted out on stage.

The live action was intercut with video footage of various Mandurah residents responding to questions about their interpretations of and experience of love. It was nice the way these screened segments, coming generally from older people with a retrospective angle on various aspects of love, provided a contrast with the young performers on stage who are still discovering what love can mean.

The interview interludes also provided some broad theming to the live action although it wasn’t always a direct link, more a case of setting up a general palette to explore.

The performance was polished, with an interesting and engaging script and I’m sure everyone in the audience would have found several elements to identify with. And it wasn’t just the joys of love that were addressed but also the problems that love can cause – too much, too little and particularly unrequited love - were given voice.

I loved the guitar score provided by George (stage left) which continued in the background throughout the performance and was the focus a couple of times when it was the accompaniment for Emily’s beautiful singing.

It was a small stage but the cast occupied it with elegance and agility, a credit to Bec as director and to Robbie, the movement director.

All seven performers were billed as ‘devisers’ and this rings true in the conviction with which their individual parts were delivered. On a few occasions they had to battle to be heard against the noisy air-conditioning but generally came across very clearly with Kael having an especially mellifluous voice.

The overall message of the show, that we should embrace every chance to express our love, is wonderfully positive and gives us all pause for thought. It is well worth checking out this modest but ambitious show.