THEATRE PREVIEW

AUGUST 2026 | Volume 266

 

A “fictional” romantic-comedy delving into the complexities of relationships and the relentless
pursuit of personal vindication
LOVE (MANIPULATED)

Art imitates life with hilarious and unexpected consequences in the brand-new comedy Love (Manipulated) set to take the Vancouver Fringe by storm.

Facing the bitter question of divorce, a Director and Producer are locked in for the showdown of a lifetime to get ‘their’ truth of a bygone affair onto film - putting two unwitting actors through unrelenting versions of the same story and setting the stage for a diabolically relatable romantic-comedy. From writer Gordon Woolvett, Love (Manipulated) is straight from lived experience: “Years ago, I was cast in the lead role in a film whose director and producer were going through a divorce. You can imagine what being on set was like: an estranged couple on the edge of disaster trying to make a movie together. It was such a nightmare that I started smoking again and was up to two packs a day by the end of the shoot. I always knew I would write about it someday”.

After two years of readings and workshops, the fully realized Love (Manipulated) finally takes to the stage at the Arts Umbrella Theatre, during the Vancouver Fringe Festival, being held September 10th-20th 2026.

The real intensity and intelligence in the production comes from the interweaving of the two love stories, one reaching its end (that of the Producer and Director) and one at its blossoming stage (the two actors who are unwittingly thrown into this baptism of fire). It is Woolvett’s hope that the audience can look at the characters’ misery and challenges - ultimately feeling better about their own. The play is driven with a bittersweet realism that holds the absurdity together. As one of the characters Robert breaks the fourth wall to explain:

“You make them think it’s just going to be all laughs and larks. You take them on a silly ride, and then just when they don’t see it coming: You make them cry. You show them the painful truth of life. You remind them how it hurts. And through the laughter and the tears, maybe they go home with a bittersweet glimmer of hope about the trials of love in their own lives.”

But this Fringe debut production is just the start of ambitions for the project.With a vast background in filmed media Woolvett and the team are already in planning stages for a larger hybrid version combining live theatre with performers and audiences joining remotely. The long-term goal is to make theatre more accessible to people facing physical or geographic barriers, while finding a way to give online audiences some of the energy and communal experience that often is lacking in ‘Zoom’ theatre experiences.

Having a diversely aged cast is also an unusual site to see at the oft-youth-driven fest, so Love (Manipulated) offers a relatable experience for audiences at any stage, or age, of their romantic adventures.

Love (Manipulated)
Dates: Thursday, September 10 - 8:40pm
Saturday, September 12 - 2:30pm
Sunday, September 13 - 9:15pm
Thursday, September 17 - 7:00pm
Saturday, September 19 - 7:20pm
Sunday, September 20 - 2:15 pm

Location: Arts Umbrella (Theatre), 1400 Johnson Street, Vancouver BC, V6H 4G9

Ticket Information: vancouverfringe.com or direct from the Fringe Festival Box Office (604) 257-0350

More information at comedywithaheart.ca

 

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