LOVE (MANIPULATED) to Premiere at Vancouver Fringe Festival

Love (Manipulated), a new romantic comedy, is making its world premiere at the Vancouver Fringe Festival this September. Written by Gordon Woolvett, the production runs September 10–20, 2026, at the Arts Umbrella Theatre.

At the center of Love (Manipulated) is a film production descending into chaos. As a director and producer navigate a bitter divorce, each becomes determined to tell "their" version of a long-finished love affair through the movie they're making together. Caught in the middle are two unsuspecting actors who find themselves repeatedly performing conflicting versions of the same story, creating a hilarious and emotionally charged battle over memory, perspective, and truth.

The comedy is rooted in Woolvett's own experience working in the film industry.

"Years ago, I was cast in the lead role in a film whose director and producer were going through a divorce," Woolvett said. "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 script readings and workshops, Love (Manipulated) now arrives as a fully staged production for the 2026 Vancouver Fringe Festival.

While the central premise provides abundant comedy, the play also explores the contrast between two relationships moving in opposite directions: one falling apart and another just beginning. Through this parallel storytelling, Woolvett examines the optimism and heartbreak that often coexist in matters of love.

The play balances humor with emotional honesty, using comedy to illuminate the complexities of modern relationships. At one point, the character Robert directly addresses the audience, explaining the production's emotional philosophy:

"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."

The Vancouver Fringe production also represents the first step in a larger vision for the project. Drawing on the creative team's background in film and digital media, plans are already underway to develop a hybrid version combining live theatre with remote performers and audiences. The long-term goal is to create a theatrical experience that remains accessible to audiences facing physical or geographic barriers while preserving the energy and communal experience unique to live performance.

Featuring a cast spanning multiple generations, Love (Manipulated) offers audiences of all ages an opportunity to laugh, reflect, and perhaps recognize a little of themselves in its bittersweet portrait of romance.

Performance Information

Love (Manipulated)

Venue: Arts Umbrella Theatre
1400 Johnston Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 4G9

Performance Schedule

Thursday, September 10 – 8:40 p.m.
Saturday, September 12 – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 13 – 9:15 p.m.
Thursday, September 17 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, September 19 – 7:20 p.m.
Sunday, September 20 – 2:15 p.m.

Tickets

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