REVIEW: For The Sake Of Love

Sun and Wine Arts’ latest production feels like the love child of Love Actually and The Office. For The Sake of Love by Claire Yorston dives into love in all its glorious forms, passion, longing, unrequited devotion, friendship, and even those fleeting office acquaintanceships, and crams it all into one wildly eventful workplace. 

The plot follows a series of deliberately over‑the‑top romantic entanglements… ever heard of a love‑hectogon? Basically, Oliver is hopelessly obsessed with Sophie, who wants nothing to do with him. Instead, she hits it off with Mark, the eager newbie who also happens to be Julia’s ex. Julia, in turn, starts a fling with Lucy, though Lucy is pining after Josh, who is unavailable and uninterested, given the fact that he is dating Jacob. Meanwhile, Ash and Oliver are nudged together, partly because everyone else already seems to have found a match. Presiding over all this delicious chaos is Cupid, the diaper-wearing boss, who is fully aware and faintly amused by the spiraling web of workplace romance. 

Rather than relying on the Wonargo Revue’s traditional stage, the production unfolded on a makeshift thrust built directly on the floor, placing the audience right at the heart of the action. Cherie Mccaffery’s direction made clever use of this layout; transitions were relatively seamless, and I especially loved when scenes set outside the workplace shifted to the main stage, a distinct spatial change that added useful visual variation. The inclusion of light‑hearted dance interludes, particularly the opening sequence of the second act, was perfectly silly and pure theatrical delight, paying proper homage to the rom‑com genre.

The technical elements of the production were generally effective, with pink and red lighting that bathed the space in a charming Valentine’s‑Day glow. That said, the placement of several fixtures could benefit from adjustment; a few were set too low, and from my seat I found myself staring directly into one particularly bright light, a persistent distraction that occasionally pulled focus from the action onstage. 

Sound, when employed, was highly effective; however, it was used too sparingly. A richer, more continuous office soundscape could have elevated the atmosphere, adding layers of mood and tension that would further ground the world of the play. 

Performance-wise, the ensemble was cohesive, and the actors were clearly enjoying themselves, which was a delight to watch, especially in a piece as whimsical as this. Reagan Warner shines as Mark, delivering genuine chemistry and effortless charm. 

My biggest critique of the work lies in the writing itself, which shows significant room for refinement. Lengthy monologues repeatedly stalled the momentum, often reiterating ideas without offering new insight. As a result, the script felt unnecessarily repetitive, and the production ended up being stretched to over two hours. 

The piece seemed far better suited to a tight, one‑act farce. In the moments when the play leaned fully into this style, the energy sharpened, the pacing lifted, and the audience was swept along with genuine delight. The quick‑fire comedic beats particularly showcased the work’s strengths, illustrated by the trio scene where Sophie, Lucy, and Jacob dissect her spark with Mark with infectious enthusiasm. 

Sun + Wine have assembled a talented creative team that brings this new piece to life with commitment and flair. It would be fascinating to see what the addition of a dramaturg and a sound designer might contribute to the process, particularly in refining the overall shape of the work and strengthening it into something more cohesive and theatrically impactful. 

2.5 out of 5 Stars