The mysterious Northern Lights set the stage for the beautiful and complex nature of falling in and out of love in The Hudson Mainstage Theatre’s production of “Almost, Maine.” At this quaint theatre in the heart of Hollywood, the audience enjoys a warm cup of coffee at Hudson’s Espresso Bar before witnessing the joys and tragedies of loving. 

“Almost, Maine,” written by John Cariani, tells the stories of the residents of a town called Almost on a cold winter’s night under the Northern Lights. The series of nine couples examine the yearning for love in the presence of loss, loneliness, pain, routine, friendship, expectation, missed opportunities, and sexuality.  Whether in a laundry room, a restaurant, or on a front porch, men and women alike discover what they want and need by connecting with one another. Through each snapshot, the ensemble works together to unveil the comically difficult circumstances of love. 

Director Martin Papazian crafts each couple into a unique, yet universal story of love. The actors fully embodied each character’s sometimes odd and incredibly high stakes needs. In particular, Natalie Avital in the  scene “Her Heart” pitches a tent in a stranger’s front yard in order to see the Northern lights, literally holding her broken heart in a paper bag. While her voice trembles and she is on the verge of tears, she unveils her deep desire to see the Northern Lights. She beautifully crafts her performance to show the need for reconciliation after loss whether or not a relationship ended well. 

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The audience goes on a journey with each story, smiling and hurting throughout the scenes. The show’s heartfelt realism of love in today’s world captures the audience through all nine stories. The scene “Story of Hope” tells the journey of a woman who returns to the man she ran away from who popped the big question years ago. Marina Benedict’s and Steve Fite’s simplicity is captivating to watch as they reconcile their love and the reality of their lives. 

The scenic design (by Joseph Hodges) is surreal and simple, but very effective in furthering the story. The white, industrial-style trees and sparkling black curtain create the magical world of Almost, Maine. Additionally, the use of lights on the fourth wall creates the mystical northern lights. Lastly, the sound design (by Christopher Amitrano) uses transition songs that make each scene change subtly as part of the storytelling. 

Although there are many well-done aspects of the production, there are stronger acting performances than others. Nevertheless, it is clear that Papazian strives for the specificity of humanity. Lastly, the physical moving of sets are slightly faulty, slow, and take the audience out of the concentration of the story. Luckily, the music choices salvage the transition from one story to the next. 

The Hudson Mainstage Theatre is one of the smaller theatres to keep in business in Los Angeles’ small, but mighty theatre community. The theatre itself has a wonderful atmosphere and stage. Their production of “Almost Maine” is perfect timing for the holiday season and a great recommendation for an after work light-hearted story of almost-love. 

"Almost Maine" is playing through December 21 at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre (6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angles) Tickets are $25. For more information visit Plays411.com/AlmostMaine

Contact Contributor Francesca Calvo here.

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