Erin Shields You, Always opened at the Berkeley Street Theatre on Wednesday night in a production directed by Andrea Donaldson.  It’s the story of the rlationship between two sisters.  The elder, Liz (Maev Beaty), is a high achiever; solid academics, law school, husband and two children.  The younger, Delia (Liisa Repo-Moretell), is a college dropout, singer songwriter and a vigorously promiscuous Lesbian (or maybe bisexual) even though there’s only one orgy in Brazil.  In spite of, or because of their differences they are very close.

The play opens with an argument; the subject doesn’t matter, in which Delia accuses Liz of being controlling and Liz accuses Delia of being over dramatic.  This argument will reoccur, word for word, until the very end and serves as a kind of Leitmotif for the relationship.  It’s a short and intense scene fragment.  There will be many of them; one after another, as we skip backwards and forwards in time from early childhood through all the phases of life and relationships to an ending that is increasingly foreshadowed.

It’s very cleverly constructed.  Each fragment is short, tight and essential and the seamless transitions are signalled by subtle but unmissable lighting cues.  It also builds emotionally.  It’s pretty light, and often very funny, to begin but gets darker, then darker still, while still providing flashes of laugh out loud humour.  One constant theme is the girls’ childhood fantasy games featuring a wolf and a princess in a forest (but no mermaids; elder Liz forbids mermaids).  Just as things get really dark there’s a completely incongruous, beautifully costumed mime sequence of the princess and wolf story.  It’s hilarious and very disturbing in the context.  And then comes the final reprise of the argument as Liz makes her final decision; the one only she can make.  Which Delia cannot construe as being about herself.

The execution is as tight as the plotting.  Timing is spot on.  The chemistry between the two women is palpable and there’s vital but not overbearing support from Andre du Toit’s lighting and Thomas Ryder-Payne’s sound design.  It’s subtle, funny, and builds almost imperceptibly to a heartbreaking ending.  Definitely worth seeing.

You, Always by Erin Shields plays at CanStage’s Berkeley Street Theatre until February 22nd.

Photo credits: Dahlia Katz