Someone Like You by Christine Quintana

Foreword by Lydia Okello. Isabelle and Kirsten have been ride-or-die besties since undergrad, particularly throughout Kirsten’s toxic relationship with her ex-SSB (Stupid Shitty Boyfriend). When Isabelle helps ghostwrite Kirsten’s dating-app messages to woo a better match, Kirsten gets first-date jitters and asks Isabelle to meet him instead. But as Isabelle becomes totally smitten with the charming prairie-boy heartthrob Harjit, her role as supportive wingwoman suddenly gets complicated. Like falling-for-your-best-friend’s-date complicated. An ingenious millennial spin on Cyrano de Bergerac set in vibrant East Vancouver, Someone Like You delivers all the swoon-worthy joy of your favourite early-2000s rom-coms while unpacking fatphobia, racism, and desirability politics in today’s dating landscape. With acerbic wit and passionate prose of Shakespearean proportions, this heartfelt play is a love letter to anyone who’s ever been picked last to slow dance and a profound musing on what it means to be the main character of your own story. Cast size: 3 actors Female roles: 2 Male roles: 1 The thoughtfully conceived blend of romantic comedy and coming-of-age story ensures that you can easily relate to some part of the story. Resisting its thoroughly entertaining charms becomes nearly impossible. - Angie Rico, Stir