Every so often a piece of theatre comes along that touches the audience, making them laugh and cry, illuminating  issues that we all experience privately, but seldom address in mixed company. Logic, Luck and Love does all this, and more, shedding light on both the heterosexual and homosexual male and female experiences in love. 

The House Staff asks every audience member as he/she files into the space if they are on Team Logic or Team Luck, and gives them the appropriate sticker once they have responded to the question. 

As the lights come up on the stage at the Goethe Institute, we see four figures, Jennifer Moore, Molly Kelly, Kevin Boggs, and Dustin Fisher,our storytellers for the night, and without skipping a beat they dive right in. Dustin,our heterosexual male tour guide, takes us through his experiences with love, from a logical standpoint. He breaks down statistics, dispels common misconceptions, and in doing so reveals more about himself and his experiences in love than you would expect from his “character.” He comes off as a strong proponent of Team Logic, but don’t judge this book by its cover.

Jennifer Moore, on the other hand, appeals to the hopeless romantics in the room, appearing as the perfect proponent of Team Luck. Her experiences take us down an unexpected path, making us laugh and sympathize with her, as life deals her a deck of cards that she is reluctant to face at first.

Molly Kelly makes us laugh with anecdotes from her relationships with women. These anecdotes transcend sexual orientation and unite the audience as one. The power of her voice is strong, and her story is heart-warming. Kevin Boggs takes us down memory lane, as he shares his trials and tribulations in love as a gay man. His experiences with boyfriends, ex-boyfriends, and everything in between are equal parts sincere and hilarious. Again, his sexual orientation is what makes his stories original, but considering the laughter by the audience, he once again unites us all.

This is the most organic piece of theatre I have ever seen. This cast is exceptionally gifted at the art of storytelling. Dustin Fisher’s performance is equal parts analytical and moving. I found his story to be particularly touching, because he is not the same person at the top of the show that he is at the end of the show. This makes for a truly spectacular experience. Kevin Boggs’ brand of comedy is infectious. He lays it all out there, and works just as hard at keeping his story moving as he does at giving you moments of silence. Some of these silences are for introspection and some are for comedy, but all of them feel natural. Jennifer Moore’s performance is layered, with a special brand of hopeless romanticism which transcends the stereotype of those who are “waiting for that kiss that Danielle Steele and Hollywood have been pimping for years.” You feel with her each emotion as she tackles it head on, from bouts of passion to dry spells of pain. Each emotion has its own reality, both good and bad, without an ounce of sugar coating. Molly Kelly is a wonder to behold, as she lays her stories bare, with little detail left out. You are rooting for her from the start, cringing and cackling with each new experience.

The four varied voices of this production flowed seamlessly through time and anecdote, creating a dynamic theatrical experience for every single audience member. The credit must be given to the two directors of this production, Amy Couchoud and Joseph Price. They lead their truly gifted cast on a journey that went off without a hitch. Rather than intrude on personal experiences, the directors shaped the experience through the Teams that we chose upon entering the space and the music that served as an interlude in between chapters. It is a credit to the direction of this production that songs such as “Somebody to Love,” “All You Need Is Love,” and “Bad Romance,” just to name a few, felt poignant as opposed to tacky in a production centered around matters of the heart.

I selected Team Luck upon entering the theatre, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the introspective moments I had as a result of the team I selected. No matter what team you choose, I guarantee that you will be moved, and perhaps changed, by Logic, Luck and Love. Catch this diamond in the rough while you still can. Logic, Luck and Love gives hope to cynics and optimists alike, allowing them to experience love seated side by side.

Logic, Luck and Love
directed by Amy Couchoud and Joseph Price
reviewed by Rick Westerkamp

Running time:  60 minutes

Read all the reviews and check out the full Capital Fringe schedule here.

Did you see the show?  What did you think?